Community Broadband On Rise

A fast-growing network of community-led broadband schemes has been springing up across the country as remote rural areas refuse to wait for fast connections

A report into broadband Britain by the Communications Consumer Panel found a “surprisingly extensive” network of community-led fast broadband networks across the UK from Ashford in Kent and King’s Lynn in East Anglia, to the Scottish Highlands.

“There are around 40 local broadband schemes,” said Roger Darlington, the report’s author and panel member.

Schemes such as the Digital Region project in South Yorkshire, that aims to connect all households and businesses in the region, “would give fast internet access to at least 500,000 people,” said Darlington.

“This is the most comprehensive review to date of community broadband schemes,” added Darlington. “The various schemes are of very different sizes and at very different stages of development, but collectively they show a range of funding and business models, and various technical delivery options.

“All this regional and local activity should contribute significantly to the national debate on the timing and form of next generation access roll-out in the UK,” he concluded.

Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, said: “Virgin Media  recently launched its next generation 50Mb XXL Broadband package – which will be available to half the country by the end of 2009, while BT Broadband has pledged £1.5 billion towards developing a fibre network.

“However, some communities are clearly unwilling to wait several years before such next generation connections reach them and have decided to forge ahead with their own networks.

“These types of community-led broadband systems are especially useful for remote rural areas where broadband speeds on the BT network are painfully slow and there is no cable alternative,” he concluded.