Recently, a group of local residents looking into getting broadband to our rural properties visited B4RN (Broadband for the Rural North) based near Carnforth, Lancashire. We discussed getting the worlds fastest broadband to the door for EVERYONE locally who would like it within the parishes listed below.
Yes EVERYONE in each parish! No-one is too far away, no-one is left out. This would be a full 1000 Mbps (1 Gigabit/s) for all, both download and upload no compromises and at £30 per month for residential properties, with an initial £150 connection fee. The current best alternative available superfast fibre broadband packages (NB – not available to many properties in our area) offer download speeds in the range of 67 to 350 Mbps, but the download speed may well be much poorer and if you are on copper wire you might be getting as low as 0.002 Mbps.
We’ve decided to call our local community broadband group B4NTR (…Banter) – which stands for B4RN or Broadband for North Tyne and Redesdale, we will work with B4RN to bring fibre to our area, but we do need local support to make it all happen.
B4RN is a well established not-for-profit organisation which helps communities in the UK build the world’s fastest broadband across rural areas to your door. All monthly fees go to extending their network to other properties which might never get a decent connection or to local charitable projects like a new village hall roof. B4RN also provide free broadband to primary schools and places of worship. To find out more about them watch the videos below…
B4RN have come a long way since these videos were made with over 5000 properties now connected and local contractors now do the digging. They have been featured by the BBC multiple times, won awards including MBE’s – to learn more about them…
Visit their website – https://b4rn.org.uk/
Or Visit their YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFPv2Aj590ZBx-Bb8WEGrMhMOQaO5lmq-
An example of a completed project in Casterton makes for exciting reading at http://www.b4rncasterton.co.uk/
We have secured the backing of the Ray Wind Fund Community Interest Company (CIC) which should help us initiate the project. Along with B4RN, they would help built the network and get us connected!
What’s REALLY important for the project now is to show B4RN there is real demand for this service in the local parishes.
DON’T LET YOUR PARISH MISS OUT!
WE NEED more than 50% of residents in each parish to complete these online forms below otherwise they won’t be included in the final plans.
The quicker we get this, the faster the project can start. Tell your friends, neighbours and everyone at the pub!
It costs nothing to complete the form below and it’s not a contract, it’s just to show our local interest to B4RN. You can already have BT Fibre Broadband, it makes no difference to getting connected to B4RN, it just gives you more choice in the future.
Again if the world’s fastest broadband interests you, we really need you to fill out an expression of interest form below!
Links for all of the parishes are at the bottom of this post.
We will be holding a number of public meetings to explain more, but if you are interested, please do fill out a form for your area below and pass this message on! We all need to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Lynne Rawles
Chair – B4NTR Community Broadband Group
The following parishes are being considered for the project:
Click HERE to check your parish on OS maps
(try popping in your postcode, then zoom out).
Bavington –www.b4rn.org.uk/eneba
Birtley – www.b4rn.org.uk/enebi
Brinkburn – www.b4rn.org.uk/enebr
Capheaton – http://b4rn.org.uk/eneca
Chollerton – www.b4rn.org.uk/enech
Corsenside – www.b4rn.org.uk/eneco
Elsdon – www.b4rn.org.uk/eneelHartburn – http://b4rn.org.uk/eneha
Hepple – www.b4rn.org.uk/enehe
Hesleyhurst – www.b4rn.org.uk/enehh
Hollinghill – www.b4rn.org.uk/eneho
Kirkwhelpington – www.b4rn.org.uk/eneki
Longhorsley – www.b4rn.org.uk/enelo
Nunnykirk – www.b4rn.org.uk/enenu
Otterburn – www.b4rn.org.uk/eneot
Rothley – www.b4rn.org.uk/enero
Netherwitton – www.b4rn.org.uk/enenw
Wallington Demesne – www.b4rn.org.uk/enewd
Very enthusiastic response from SE Wallington after years of chasing BT to give us a decent signal – hope local residents can get behind B4NTR and help us and yourselves get ahead of the game for a change.
Sounds like really good news Dick make sure you badger them all to sign up for the Expression of Interest!
P.S. Well done for being the first to comment!
P.P.S. Like our Facebook page and share!
Great initiative, I live in Rochester Parish at Catclleugh. What’s the reason for us not being included?
Hi Terry, I’m glad your really interested I suspect much of your area is similar to ours with a lot of people not connected with no BT fibre. The Ray Wind Fund has a 10km area of benefit so they are helping initiate those parishes within that, but outside this would be self funding. But with B4RN this would be far less than you might think and our project will have already paid for much of the infrastructure you would need to get connected via otterburn and the way B4RN build you guys could be easily added. We at B4NTR are all local volunteers who started this project we would be happy to chat about the details.
I’ve filled in the form to express interest.
Have you been round all the houses in Wallington Demesne with a leaflet?
I think you should, because many people have no idea this is being mooted and I’m sure they would be interested.
Even though we are just across the road from the exchange our broadband speed is only about 20 MG.
Hi Philip, Thanks for completing a form that’s exactly what we need at the moment. We’re very shortly sending out a mailshot to all houses in the area with details of our village hall meetings. We are a volunteer group and we need all the help we can get to spread the word! Most people are wary of completing the EOI form worried about what it is, which is why we’re having our meeetings – BUT if you can let your neighbours/friend know about our project and in particular to complete the EOI form and its not demanding money that would be a huge help!
Thanks foe the reply. Yes there are a few of us at top end of Redesdale who have to use Satellite Broadband. There is fibre up to Byrness village, i live about a mile or two further on.
Hello. Very excited to read about this …. but disappointed that Tarset and Greystead not a featured parish? How could we get on board?
Hi William, We’re volunteers for our parishes who setup B4NTR – just regular folk keen to get some internet in our area. If you’ve got the will, and willing to put in the time (a few years) it can be done from a practical point of view – B4RN could add you on through Otterburn and B4RN are really supportive. If your serious about bringing it to your area, just reply and I’ll drop you some more details.
Good luck to you all, it is hard work but well worth it in the end. If we can do it, so can you, but it does take men and women of grit.
Keep the faith xxx
Wow, thanks Chris. Thanks so much for taking the time to look at our project. You personally have been an inspiration to us, both for Broadband and for activism. We’ll keep the faith! (Can’t help but be a little star-struck here) 🙂