The 19,000 properties in North Wales that still can’t get decent broadband

They have been dubbed “the last few per cent”, the 19,000 or so premises in North Wales that still cannot access superfast broadband. Defined as 30 megabits per second, the speed is considered the minimum required for digital services that many of us now rely on.

Ambition North Wales aims to address this digital divide and provide sustainable and affordable broadband connectivity to benefit local communities and businesses. The partnership has set aside £4 million in growth deal funding to close the gap as part of its plans to boost the economy and create new jobs.

We think this is a great initiative and believe that, as well as being an ideal solution for urban and suburban areas, fixed wireless access enabled by new millimetre wave technologies can help reach the most remote premises, those last few per cent, in the fastest possible timescale.

Analysis shows the scale of the task. Ambition North Wales is a partnership of five local authorities, each of which has thousands of premises unable to access superfast broadband. According to Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations report, Conwy has 2,759 premises unable to access superfast broadband, Denbighshire 3,362, Flintshire 2,710, Gwynedd 5,801, Anglesey 2,798 and Wrexham 2,262.

Nobody should be left behind in this day and age. Of course, every home and business in places like Bangor, Llandudno, Deeside, Holyhead and Wrexham and the surrounding villages should have superfast broadband. But why not gigabit broadband instead?

WeLink is pioneering a new type of fixed wireless access that overcomes the challenges normally associated with fixed-line fibre deployments. We successfully launched the UK’s first wireless gigabit network in Edinburgh, bringing speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second to the Old and New Towns, historic locations with extraordinary physical constraints.

WeLink millimetre wave technology quickly extends the reach of existing broadband infrastructure into the hardest-to-reach locations. The 60Ghz spectrum provides multi-gigabit symmetric download and upload speeds, which means it can keep pace with user demand for data-hungry cloud-based services. It avoids the logjams that can build up on busy fibre networks.

Cost is obviously critical here. Ofcom has suggested that it costs up to £500 to connect fibre to the premises for each of the first 20 million premises, while the next hardest to reach can cost up to £2,500. Our experience suggests the cost can rise as high as £5,000 for premises in deep rural locations. In contrast, we calculate fixed wireless access can close the gap for £300 per premises, wherever they are.

If £4 million is available to connect the last few per cent, the programme might fall short of the goal using fibre alone. Fixed wireless access is a solution for providing mid-haul networks, last-mile connectivity and can in-fill where fibre cannot be laid. It can help leapfrog superfast broadband and plug the region into gigabit speeds, unlocking a new world of social and economic opportunities. Our sister company in the US has rolled out networks using the same technology in destinations as diverse as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson and New York. North Wales could be next.