Cumbria town digs own trenches for 20Mbps broadband

The residents of a remote town in Cumbria are digging their own trenches so that fibre optic cabling can be laid to provide broadband speeds of up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps).

Alston Moor has only had broadband services from BT for four years, but local campaigning has since resulted in broadband co-operative Cybermoor, which has delivered speeds of up to 10Mbps to local residents through a network of transmitters, reports the Sunday Times.

Now the town is digging its own trenches to lay fibre optic cabling and double the potential connection speed in a move that could provide even faster download times and highly efficient VoIP solutions.

Jeremy Higgs, owner of Pennine Ways estate agent in Alston, told the paper the presence of good broadband services has increased the appeal of local properties: "Just last month we let a property to a lady who works from home and needs broadband. She wouldn't be here without it."

The government plans to deliver speeds of 2Mbps to every UK home by 2012, with wireless networks and satellite systems being considered for remote communities.