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Wi-Fi broadband reaches out to Robin Hoods Bay: 12Mbps for North Yorkshire village

Wi-Fi broadband reaches out to Robin Hoods Bay: 12Mbps for North Yorkshire villageThe merry men and women of Robin Hoods Bay can now tap into speeds of 10-12Mbps virtually anywhere in the village. Take that Keith Allen Alan Rickman.

The North Yorkshire village can access broadband speeds thanks to a community Wi-Fi network that’s been upgraded with cash from Defra’s Rural Development Programme and NYnet.

The Wi-Fi broadband network has been active since 2004, but has been given a speed boost thanks to the RDPE.

“Following discussions with NYnet and RDPE we were able to use funding to gain access to high speed fibre via the NYnet connection at the Whitby Environment Centre. This has made a huge difference to subscribers who are now able to access speed in the region of 10-12Mbps with the option to increase as the requirement grows.”

Similar to how Wi-Fi broadband has been beamed out to the Suffolk hamlet of Shingle Street, this co-op project is based on a fibre optic backbone located in Whitby. Powered by a company called FibreWiFi, Shingle Street’s inhabitants can enjoy speeds of up to 50Mbps.

From Whitby there the wireless signal is broadcast over 7 miles, picked up by a chain of towers which carry the signal to the village.

Costing residents £8 a month for access, the Bay Broadband Co-operative primarily serves the 140 residents who can’t get access to regular ADSL broadband that’s available elsewhere in the region. Some homes with thick stone walls, or those located in more remote, rocky areas may need to fit extra aerials to the windows or roofs of homes.

The Bay Broadband Co-operative is “currently making a sustainable profit,” according to ISPreview where we first saw the story. As well as service residents, visitors and guests are charged for access, from £3 a day to £10 a week.

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