Community-led broadband programmes on the rise

A "surprisingly extensive" network of community-led high-speed broadband schemes has been established in the UK, a leading organisation claims.

According to the Communications Consumer Panel (CCP), community-led schemes are bringing broadband to areas which were previously unable to access the service.

The independent telecoms policy advisory body has revealed in a review that there are around 40 local schemes currently in the UK.

Projects include the Digital Region scheme in south Yorkshire, which aims to provide 25Mbps internet to around 550,000 households and 40,000 businesses in the region.

Roger Darlington, from the CCP, said: "This is not necessarily a totally comprehensive review, but will certainly surprise many."

"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," Mr Darlington explained.

"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."

In a recent government report titled The Next Phase of Broadband UK, Francesco Caio endorsed the growth of local provision programmes for next-generation broadband.