Campaign Moots Rural Worth Valley Broadband Solution with Virgin Media

The community Fibre Valley campaign, which has been working to help bring superfast broadband to premises in the rural Worth Valley area of West Yorkshire (England), looks set to consider a new solution that could see Virgin Media or BT running a fibre optic cable into the small village of Stanbury.

At present the details are very thin on the ground and it’s understood that a quote for the new Virgin Media link is currently still being prepared. However, if approved, the fibre would only act as a capacity supply for another ISP, which could then use the new connection to distribute a faster service out to local homes and businesses.

Ken Eastwood, Fibre Valley, said:

“Essentially, Virgin Media is saying there is the possibility of providing a fibre connection to Stanbury, and is going to provide a quotation for our consideration. However, this isn’t to provide a service directly to individual internet users. The community, through Fibre Valley or some other organisation, may be able to enter into a business-to-business relationship with Virgin Media and provide the connectivity to end-users.

This is an opportunity to develop a ‘community alternative network’, known as an ‘altnet’, similar to some of those provided in isolated locations in North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.”

Eastwood indicates that they’re keen to explore Virgin Media’s proposal further and have in mind an affordable solution that might work in a similar way to B4RN’s 1Gbps FTTH project in Lancashire, where locals have helped to build the network in exchange for shares.

In addition, it’s noted that a local business may be able to leverage funding via the Urban Broadband Fund (“Super-Connected Cities“) scheme to help pay for part of the work, although this is more intended for Bradford city than outlying areas.

At the same time Eastwood noted that BT are also working on an estimate for the cost and viability of building a new street cabinet with support for their up to 80Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) service in Stanbury.