Inspiration

Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN, pronounced “BARN”) is a pioneering community-led initiative aimed at delivering high-speed broadband Internet connectivity to homes (“Fibre to the Home” or FTTH) and businesses across rural Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cumbria in the north-west of England. It operates as an Internet service provider.

Registered as a Community Benefit Society (CBS) under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 on 15 August 2011, B4RN is regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FCA). The initiative was created to raise funds through share sales to own and operate the network. Much of the trench-digging was undertaken by local volunteers, who were rewarded with the opportunity to connect their families or businesses. Farmers and landowners generously granted free access for the ducts and fibre to traverse their land. The company is based in Melling, Lancashire.

Regardless of line distance or location, every property connected is offered a genuine 1 Gbit/s (1,000 Mbit/s) symmetric FTTH service. Significant expansion efforts are ongoing, and they cover a geographical area comparable to that within the M25.