Microwave broadband could provide the solution for villagers (From Knutsford Guardian)

Microwave broadband could provide the solution for villagers

11:40am Friday 15th March 2013 in News

MICROWAVE broadband could be the solution to Cheshire’s connectivity ills, according to a firm which has rolled out the network in Lancashire.

Richard Webster, chief executive of Chorley–based Boundless Communications, told the Guardian that speeds of 100Mbs could be achieved by the technique, which sees microwaves bounced off towers and into people’s homes.

The firm uses a centre in Preston as it’s ‘fibre hub’, and from there the signal is then bounced off masts across the Lancashire countryside, with receptors on the sides of farms and houses enabling subscribers to pick up the signal.

The masts used to bump the signal are often already in place, with the firm using ones already put in place by mobile phone providers.

Richard told the Guardian he believed the technique would work in Cheshire.

“There is a distance factor, but it’s not as crippling as ADSL, the drop off is not the same,” he said.

“If you’re three to four miles away from the mast then the speeds are 100Mbs, and that is both up and download.

“If you’re 10 miles away then we can still get 10Mbs, it just depends on the location.

“We’ve got an advantage in Lancashire because of the big hills and we’re able to bounce the data into the valleys.

“But in flat areas we look for high buildings and tower blocks, but as long as we can get above the tree line we can go long distances.

“We need a high tower, but these are the same issues that mobile phone providers have, and in Lancashire we have jumped on to quite a few of them.”

The company has been running for two years, and Richard said it was looking at how it could roll out its service in Cheshire.