B4RN is very fortunate in that it has the services & expertise of someone like Barry Forde whose background expertise on JANET and the CLEO network makes him in an ideal position to be able to carry this out. I doubt that theres many more in the country that could provide this level of technological experience... and provide it for free.
iirc theres also several other members that live in that area that have academic and IT & Network experience at a high level.
Between them they have a unique set of skills that most rural areas could not begin to dream of. Perhaps its Quernmores close location to Lancaster University (appx 5 miles) that also helps. Lancaster Uni has an excellent reputation when it comes to IT and because it is so close to so many rural areas, its always been at the cutting edge of providing internet access for the surrounding LEOs.
Even back in the late 90's & turn of the century their microwave links to LEOs were the envy of many other academic institutes. Heck its one of the reasons why I used to do an extra hour or so round trip when doing a degree module in IT Communications. B4RN has a real coup in that their chief exec is the same person who headed & was responsible for the very impressive academic network which spanned cumbria and the more rural parts of north lancs.
The fact that B4RN has such unique mix and that the community devotes time for free and even landowners have given rights for free that other businesses would have to pay for puts them in a situation whereby I feel that they have a good chance of success. That said even their funding has had sticky moments and its still taking a long time to roll out.
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Whilst I would have liked to have seen other companies other than BT attempt to enter the mix.. the more rational side of me believes that it needs someone as big as BT to carry it off. IMHO BDUK was a total farce and a waste of public funds.
There were plenty more that could have got involved if they wanted, but at the end of the day its just too risky. BT has the advantage where the less profitable areas can be offset by the more profitable ones.
Why doesnt Virgin get more involved? Branson isnt averse to taking business risks if he thinks the long term profit is viable. But cable has already been installed where it is viable.. and even then many of those founding cable companies went to the wall and its how Branson was able to scoop them up so cheaply.
The fact that fibre is so costly and whilst grants are given to help with set-up costs, its the afterwards running costs that also have to be factored.
Digital Region is a classic example. I cant recall how many millions of pounds from the public purse they were given.. it covers areas that I wouldn't class as rural - heck Sheffield central & Attercliffe etc. With hindsight wouldnt it have been so much better if BT had just got on with it.
I have absolutely no doubt that BT would have installed FTTC in those areas by now, but instead theres many people like UB not knowing what is going on with their connection. :/
There's 2 reasons why I take Peter Cochranes "wrong technology" which a pinch of salt.
1) His natural bias towards FTTH because that is his business - promoting and marketing FTTH. He got paid a huge chuck of money from Jersey.
2) The most important one. I just dont see how in the UK it can be practically funded.
Perhaps some time in the future when costs decrease who knows.. but at least BT will have a head start in that Fibre already laid to the cabs wont go to waste, perhaps when BT have got some of their FTTC investment back it could be extended to FTTdp.
Im not anti-FTTH in the slightest - Id love it to be rolled out.. but in the present climate I dont see how it could be funded.