NFU Warn Farms Being Excluded from UK Gigabit Broadband Rollout by Cost
The National Farmers Union, which represents over 44,000 Farmers and Growers in England and Wales, has warned that a good proportion of farms in rural parts of the country are still being excluded from the ongoing deployment of gigabit-capable broadband ISP technology – often even when the network covers the local road.
At the end of 2024 Ofcom revealed that gigabit broadband ISP networks now covered 84% of the UK (up from 78% in 2023), which falls to 69% for Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology. In terms of urban areas, some 88% can now access a gigabit network, but this falls away to just 54% for those in more rural locations.
The disparity in coverage typically reflects the fact that, up until now, most of the deployments have predominantly been fuelled by commercial builds – these tend to target the easiest and cheapest areas (i.e. urban locations, where networks can reach lots of premises over a shorter distance).
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On the flip side, rural areas tend to be last on the list to be upgraded, which is due to the economic challenges of building expensive networks to cater for so few users over a wide area. Suffice to say, rural builds can often be several times more expensive to deliver, which is why public investment (e.g. Project Gigabit) is often needed to help finish the job.
Now a new report on the BBC News, which focuses upon the issues in Derbyshire that the NFU have recently raised (although this is very much a national challenge), appears to have homed in on a particular issue where network operators need to “dig trenches to install [fibre] individually to each home or business premises“.
Andrew Critchlow, NFU County Advisor, said:
“The cost is higher for them (telecoms companies), so installing into one property is no where near as cost effective as when they are doing multiple properties and I think that’s why they (remote properties) get dropped off in these schemes.”
One of the difficulties here is a lesser-known issue that crops up when homes and businesses exist too far away from the new fibre, which in some cases may already be passing down the local road (this usually applies if the property is over 100 metres or so away from the fibre). This can result in some areas appearing to be covered, when in fact getting connected could attract a significantly higher cost due to excess construction charges.
Such issues are naturally much more likely to occur with remote rural farms, where there could be a lengthy farm track between the main road and the farm building(s). Farmers could potentially help to tackle this by digging their own trench. But that requires some coordination with the network operator, and such things aren’t always easy or quick to arrange.
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A spokesperson for Openreach responded to highlight how they had already delivered FTTP to more than 339,000 premises across Derbyshire and understood the frustrations of such properties. “We continue to work closely with Digital Derbyshire (the council led programme) and UK government on reaching more areas,” said the operator.
Some locations like this may alternatively be able to pursue a 4G or 5G based mobile broadband connection, although the coverage and performance of such networks in remote rural areas can be a problem for those operators too. Satellite based solutions, like Starlink from SpaceX, may be another option, but that’s more expensive and not something that cash strapped farmers can always afford.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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When we had red triangles and green circles on phones, you could pick up a BABT approved extension socket for “self install”.
Whilst there still needs to be governance for public roads and paths maybe there should be easier access to approved conduit installs.
Pipe, like the BT approved grey tube, with fibre friendly bend radii, but strong enough to allow direct bury without special backfill. Supplied with draw cord, and internal foil detectable strip. At a competitive price.Something with general telecom approval that any operator would be allowed to use. This would be specifically for premises owners to bury themselves between a property boundary and their establishment. (Home owners too if they have a long drive).
All that a telecom operator would need would be photographic evidence of buried depth, then they could draw a fibre, and splice at the property/road boundary.
Getting the fibres to your road/boundary is usually the biggest issue, not getting it to your property.
I’m pretty sure Openreach will supply ducting for free. Other networks may vary.
Civils cost what civils cost. It makes little odds to a contractor if the dig and reinstatement is a public right of way or a private drive. Land owners are unlikely to see much difference between the ECCs that someone like Openreach charge for a connection and paying a local contractor to do the same.
For an idea of this, ask a local electrician for the cost of running 50 metres of electrical cable to an outbuilding.
So does this new fibre cable need MORE telegraph poles to stop it flapping in the wind or less? I’m assuming nearly every one of these farms has an old copper connected telephone?
A copper phone line connected to a rural exchange that will be closed in the next few years. These were usually installed under the PSTN USO which only worked because BT’s previous monopoly allowed the subsidy model’s sums to add up.
If poles exist and no ISP offers service it’s because the ISP doesn’t want to pay the PIA cost or if they use OR’s network, don’t want to pay Openreach to install a service. OR offer an ‘advanced’ install that covers quite a long run from the edge of the property but anything beyond that is time and materials based.
With some local on the ground negotiation, Openreach supplied us with Steel Wire Armoured fibre for us to trench and bury across our farm fields (approx 250m), they sent a team to install a inspection chamber for the joint and final connection near to the house.
This commentary misses one big factor for rural properties – wayleaves. New fibreoptics often require new wayleaves with landowners, either for digging ducting or putting in new poles. In my experience in NE Scotland, So many private landowners either completely ignore attempted contact by the likes of Openreach, or drag out the process trying to get money for it. The telecoms operators identify these situations will cause more hassle (and more money in the long run), and then remove the property from their build plans. In the last year alone, my Local Authority has had to step in at least 30 times (and these are just known situations), to get progress between land owners, telecoms operators, and UK/Scottish Governments funding the work. Happy to say every situation gets resolved, but its not just about the money – its about engagement and collaboration with everyone involved.
Wayleaves take time and many landowners / property owners don’t see the need for fibre. They need educating on the benefits and if necessary providing free service to engage them and facilitate the process. Actually installing fibre is the easy part !