30Mbps Wireless Broadband Reaches Rural Brecon Beacons Village of Crai

Some 70 homes in the rural village of Crai, which sits inside the mountainous Brecon Beacons National Park area of Wales, have finally been covered by a ‘up to’ 30Mbps capable fixed wireless “superfast broadband” service after local ISP Dyfed Superfast expanded their network into the area.

The new community deployment is being supported by the Welsh Government’s Access Broadband Cymru voucher scheme (i.e. grants worth up to £400-£800 per property to help get a faster connection installed). Customers of the new service can expect to pay from £19.99 inc. VAT per month for an ‘up to’ 10Mbps download speed with unlimited usage or £29.99 for 30Mbps (plus free installation with the voucher scheme).

Gareth Robinson, Dyfed Superfast, said:

“We’re excited to start this new phase of the project in Crai. With support from the Welsh Government, we have built a resilient broadband network that meets the needs of this vibrant rural community. We chose Fixed Wireless Access as this allows us to provide unlimited data while fibre was too expensive and disruptive for a rural community. Satellite based options were evaluated, but this would have meant limited data and a high cost penalty for anyone going over their monthly limit.

We hope to be able to extend high speed broadband across Wales, building on our expertise and taking advantage of new technologies like Fixed Wireless Access to reach places that have to date been poorly served by BT.”

A series of new masts and low power microwave transmitters have been installed to help support the network and subscribers will also need to attach a small receiver dish to their property in order to access the service. The ISP also has various other deployments around Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarhenshire.

NOTE: Apparently the total ABC subsidy came to around £60,000.