Lodestar Networks seek £50k to build 4G network in Warwickshire towns
Communications provider Lodestar Networks, which specialises in building local UK community 4G mobile (calls and broadband) networks, has launched a crowdfunding effort to help raise £50,000 in order to expand their own mobile network across two towns in Warwickshire (England) – Nuneaton and Bedworth.
Lodestar says their aim here is to “deliver a UK first: a locally built, community-supported 4G network offering free mobile data, free calls and free texts within local coverage areas in Nuneaton and Bedworth“. The funding, if secured, would help to build five planned sites on Lodestar’s own mobile network, including the equipment and work needed to turn radio hardware into working sites (e.g. several Baicells Nova442i radios, which are £2,600 a pop).
The operator says that any profits from this network, once deployed, would then be reinvested back into maintaining, improving and expanding the network. The relevant crowdfunding page seems to be aiming to raise the necessary funding by 30th January 2027.
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Overall, it’s an interesting project, although both towns already have access to 4G and 5G mobile connectivity from the major mobile operators and the announcement doesn’t really explain why there’s a need for an alternative community network. But we dare say there will be some attraction to the idea of free mobile broadband data, calls and texts, even if this would be restricted to those exchanged within the local area.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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If the service is free then where is the money coming from to pay for “maintaining, improving and expanding”? Has Rachel got a new job?
If you don’t have to pay for the product, you are the product.
Data harvesting perhaps?
Offering it as a not for profit, to keep price down, would be more realistic. But totally free, makes no sense how they’ll cover OpEx costs.
@Darkstar, no. It is not for profit. The plan is to get this built, then slowly introduce paid plans at £5 a month. The base stations we will use are relatively cheap and can be maintained cheaply.
We are also in talks with other orgs about work for them, which can lead to a sustainable income which will be used to fund the network, as I personally don’t take a salary from the network and it’s running costs are low.
We are also in talks about national roaming for our sims so they can work outside the native Lodestar RAN.
The network is also planned to be highly reliable, with failover backhaul options and a local EPC, all powered off backup batteries to keep our towns online if the UKs BlackSky plans actually happen.
As I understand it, this is what is currently available for 4G/5G with an Ofcom shared access licence:
Band 3 (1800Mhz) 4G.
A medium power shared access licence (the most powerful available) delivers via a pair of 3.3Mhz channels.
This combination of limited power and low bandwidth means 50Mbps is pretty much the upper limit close to the transmitter within line of sight. Maximum range is no more than 1km or so anyway so many (most ?) will get less than this. Still useful capacity though.
Band 40 (2300Mhz) 4G.
Currently low power only and for indoor use.
Band N77 (3.8 – 4.2 GHz) 5G.
This is available at medium power like Band 3 but has a lot more bandwidth available. This has the potential to deliver several hundred Mbps across a small local area. However, not everyone has a 5g phone and of those that do, not all support Band N77. Some 5G routers have the same issue. Also, the licence cost and the kit are more expensive.
Was 1800Mhz chosen because it will work with any phone or any 4G router at the lowest cost ?
Was 3.8 – 4.2 Ghz considered, and if so, why was it rejected given the greater potential capacity albeit at greater cost ?
Running a non-profit will keep the costs down but non-profits can go just as bankruprt as regular companies if they run out of cash. I wonder, like @Darkstar, how enough cash will be generated to cover costs ?
What happens when I am outside their coverage area?
@Peter Delaney hi thanks for your comment. We will be using band 40, using a demonstration license which allows us to offer service as long as we don’t charge for it. We are working on getting our own PLMN ASAP as well too.
The plan is eventually to move from a free model to a lower cost model, allowing us to charge monthly for plans. The base stations are relatively cheap and our core costs are low so we can keep it up for lower cost.
If this is a 10Mhz slice then a useful boost in speed over Band 3.
I wish you all the best and I hope your project is a success 🙂
Good Luck !