Boundless Networks delivers ultrafast broadband to North Yorks

Boundless Networks is addressing the issue of lack of superfast broadband in many of the rural parts of North Yorkshire. It has tested a new wireless technology allowing the village of Bradley, near Skipton, to access the internet at speeds in excess of 160 Megabits per second (Mbps); twice as fast as BT’s Infinity product and six times faster than the Government’s superfast target speed of 30Mbps. (Ultrafast broadband provides download speeds above 100Megabits per second (Mbps), and superfast broadband above 30Mbps.)

There is an urgent need for better broadband in rural communities. The Government has proposed that every Briton should have the legal right to request access to internet speeds of 10Mbps by 2020, and only in December, Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, revealed that a quarter of all properties in rural areas – close to a million in total – still do not have decent broadband.

It is reported that poor broadband puts children’s education at risk in rural areas, as they cannot do their homework properly.

Brian Wilson, director at Rural England, said that pupils who grow up in rural communities are at a disadvantage compared to their urban dwelling peers, as they are less able to access online learning resources and carry out research-based projects.

Mr Wilson, who wrote the State of Rural Services 2016 report, said: “A lack of a fast broadband connection is an issue in a lot of rural places. It is expanding but it is still the case that about a quarter of homes will be unable to get a broadband connection.”

Entrepreneur and Boundless Networks Chairman David Hood, who lives in Craven, said: “Being able to go way beyond the Government’s target of 30Mbps is a huge benefit to rural communities. Not only can we deliver the superfast target, we can futureproof the service so that children in rural areas, like Bradley, don’t need to play catch up with their classmates. Wireless ultrafast broadband is able to deliver this and Boundless is leading the way in delivering it.”

The ultrafast service is being trialled now and will be rolled out by Boundless across North Yorkshire over the next two years. This will also remove the need for homes and businesses to wait for the Government’s Universal Service Obligation of 10Mbps by delivering speeds that will futureproof rural communities for a generation.