Rural FTTH Project from the UK Wins 2018 EU Broadband Award

Congratulations are in order after the Michaelston-y-Fedw Internet CIC (Myfi) ISP project in Wales, which built its own Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network (here), last night won the “Innovative models of financing, business and investment” category as part of the 2018 European Broadband Awards.

A jury of five “European broadband experts” decided that the Myfi project, which had adopted a similar approach to B4RN’s community based model, deserved the award because of their clever approach to funding and building a “full fibre” network in such a challenging remote rural location.

Residents helped to both fund and build the network, albeit with support from local farmers (free wayleave agreements for land access), some professional contractors and the Welsh Government’s broadband voucher schemes. Earlier this month Brin Richards of the Myfi project told ISPreview.co.uk that they had “completed this year’s programme, on time and on budget!” (here).

Carina and Jim Dunk represented Myfi in Brussels at the Awards Ceremony and will now be expected to give a 5-minute presentation at the forthcoming Broadband Day Conference. Overall around 175 connections have so far been made to the new network (expected to reach around 200) and as a result local premises can access both download and upload speeds of 1000Mbps.