Next time you whinge about your slow-ass internet, spare a thought for a bunch of British farmers who have had to build, test and install their own fiber network this year—from scratch. A small community in Arkholme—a tiny village in the UK—realized that they were always going to be overlooked when it came to fast broadband. So they decided to take matters into their own hands and build their own network. That meant spinning their own fiber, digging channels across field, and laying cables, all in the name of internet. The BBC explains: “They have exploited all sorts of local expertise – from the Lancaster University professor who is an expert in computer networks to the farmer’s wife who has just retired from a career in IT support. The cooperation of local landowners has been vital – free access to fields has made it much cheaper to roll out the network.”
British Farmers Build Their Own Fiber Network
on 2.14.13
Author: Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is Fox 5 New York's On-air Tech Expert (WNYW-TV) and the host of Fox Television's monthly show Shelly Palmer Digital Living. He also hosts United Stations Radio Network's, Shelly Palmer Digital Living Daily, a daily syndicated radio report that features insightful commentary and a unique insiders take on the biggest stories in technology, media, and entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group, LLC an industry-leading advisory and business development firm and a member of the Executive Committee of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards).
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