Next time you whinge about your slow-ass internet, spare a thought for a bunch of British farmers who have had to build, test and install their own fiber network this year—from scratch. A small community in Arkholme—a tiny village in the UK—realized that they were always going to be overlooked when it came to fast broadband. So they decided to take matters into their own hands and build their own network. That meant spinning their own fiber, digging channels across field, and laying cables, all in the name of internet. The BBC explains: “They have exploited all sorts of local expertise – from the Lancaster University professor who is an expert in computer networks to the farmer’s wife who has just retired from a career in IT support. The cooperation of local landowners has been vital – free access to fields has made it much cheaper to roll out the network.”
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.