Welsh community builds FTTP 1Gb broadband network to leave 4Mb speeds behind

The village of Michaelston-y-Fedw has become the first community in Wales to create their own fibre network, uplifting the community from average internet speeds of 4Mbps into the modern era with 1Gb fibre connections. 

Michaelston-y-Fedw is a mere 10 miles away from Cardiff and lies on the outskirts of Newport, though sadly this area of the country has remained largely forgotten by major internet service providers, leaving villages 300 citizens stuck in the past with almost unusable internet speeds. 

The community decided that enough was enough, starting a Community Interest Company (CIC) to deliver the infrastructure required to bring their village into the 21st century. The company quickly raised £150,000 by selling shares to local so, who had grown frustrated at the communities lack of high-speed internet.    

The CIC, which is known as the Michaelston-y-Fedw Internet CIC, quickly applied for every grant that they could get their hands on, including those from the Welsh Government and Access Broadband Cymru, which offers vouchers to homes and areas that are not covered by BT’s Superfast Cymru project. 

Thanks to these funds, the Michaelston-y-Fedw Internet CIC plans to bring their Gb service to over 175 local premises sometime this Autumn, connecting each property free of charge while also offering their first year of service for free for early adopters. After this initial rollout period, residents will be charged £30 per month to access the network, which is exceptionally cheap for 1Gbps services. 

Below is a comment from David Schofield, the Director of the Michaelston-y-Fedw Internet CIC, as provided to ISP Review.