Cumbrian ISP LonsdaleNET, which in April 2012 acquired the network assets of defunct network operator NextGenUs Cumbria from the firms administrator (here), has now begun offering symmetric superfast wireless broadband speeds of 10-60Mbps across the rural Eden Valley and surrounding areas.
The company itself was formed and financed by Lord Lonsdale (Earl of Lonsdale) and is supported by Craig Brass as Technical Director, not to mention John Robson and Mark Jameson. It is underpinned by a dark fibre link to Manchester and makes use of a former Three UK mobile phone mast (at Whinfell Forest next to Center Parcs Oasis) to transmit its service around the local area.
Most customers are said to be “receiving in excess of 40Mbps speeds” and prices start at £19.95 inc. VAT per month for a 10Mbps connection (10GB FUP usage allowance), which includes free UK landline calls during evenings and weekends (no phone line rental required) and no minimum term contract. This rises to £29.95 if you want speeds of 10-60Mbps, a 150GB allowance and anytime calls.
Each package includes a wireless router as part of the installation service, which incidentally costs £149.95 (with 15m of cabling). More expensive business options are also available. The only thing they need now is a better website.
UPDATE 12th October 2012
The network currently serves 7,500 local premises, which includes some in the more urban Penrith area, and has about 100 active subscribers. Plans for a “rapid expansion by running fibre to a breakout chamber along our dark fibre” are also in the works.
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