Cybermoor Set to Extend Fibre Optic Broadband in Alston Moor (Cumbria)

The Cybermoor Networks scheme, a partially community built fibre optic broadband network for the Alston Moor area in rural Cumbria (England), has confirmed that it’s now planning to extend its reach to include more homes outside of central Alston.

The project, which is an offshoot of the original Cybermoor project that rolled out a wireless broadband (WiFi) network to the area, signed a vital fibre optic infrastructure deal almost two years ago (here) and has since been busy building the network and making it available to homes and businesses in the centre of Alston.

At present Cybermoor has already laid a fibre optic cable, which is backed by Virgin Media, between Alston Town Hall and Nenthead Primary School. As a result In-Cumbria reports that most homes in central Alston can now subscribe to a symmetric 25Mbps (Megabits per second) connection, which seems rather slow for a fibre optic line but we suspect that they’re just being careful with capacity and costs.

Additionally ISPreview.co.uk notes that Cybermoor has upgraded the wireless services covering Alston, Garrigill, Nenthead, Slaggyford, Carrshield, Ninebanks and Lambley to offer “faster speeds and greater reliability“, although they don’t clarify what difference this has made and the related service page still lists a top speed of 2Mbps for the Platinum Service at £29.99 per month (plus a one-off connection fee of £100).

The network, which has received support from locals, the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and DEFRA, is planning to expand its reach over the coming months and has also called for people who live outside of Alston Moor to express their interest (here). But plans to go outside of Alston Moor will of course be very dependent upon funding and demand.