INCA's Transform Digital: Bristol conference

1. The B4RN project
Professor Barry Forde MBE
Chief Executive
B.Forde@b4rn.org.uk
www.b4rn.org .uk

2. Broadband for the Rural North
• Industrial and Provident Society Act 1965
– Incorporated August 2011
– Company number IP31352R
• Community Benefit Society
– Similar to coop but answerable to community
rather than shareholders
– One member one vote, not related to number of
shares member holds
• Project launched December with share offer
16th September 2015 2INCA Rural Broadband Workshop

3. Area
16th September 2015 INCA Rural Broadband Workshop 3
Parishes = 41
Area = 700Km2
Properties = ~10,000

4. Delivery
• Community project, gives us:-
– wayleaves support
– Volunteer effort
– High take up rates >65%
• Full FTTH (2f PtP)
– cross country with wayleaves from landowners
– Small bore duct, blown fibre technology
– £5/metre for core routes, £0.20/metre spurs + labour
– Average cost per property < £1K
• 1Gbs symmetrical £150 connect, £30/month
– 10Gbs symmetrical £2000 connect, £120/month
• No cheap CPEs for 10Gbs 
• One month contract period
16th September 2015 INCA Rural Broadband Workshop 4

5. External Connectivity
• Leased Zayo dark fibre to Telecity Manchester
• Up to 32ch DWDM
– Currently light 40Gbs
– Additional 10Gbs channels CAPEX £1K, OPEX £0.
– Massive over provision to ensure outstanding QoS
• Juniper MX240 core router in Telecity
• Peering at IX-Manchester and LINX London
• 10Gbs pipe for IP transit, easily scaled
16th September 2015 INCA Rural Broadband Workshop 5

6. Funding
• Shares
– ~£1.50M raised via shares
– Number of members ~650 and climbing
– Still getting strong support
– EIS eligible so 30% tax rebate from HMRC
– 3 year lock in period
– 5%/pa from year 4 onwards
• Loans
– ~£1.25M raised from within community
– 5 or 10 year terms
– Initially paying 6% now reduced to 5% for new loans
– £300K raised outside community (Esmee Fairburn), 5 year
• Each Parish/Area is self funded by its community
• Grants – Zero!
16th September 2015 INCA Rural Broadband Workshop 6

7. Project status
• ~700Km of duct laid
• 1250 customers connected
– More than covers all OPEX and staffing costs (7 FTEs)
• Adding 50-100 per month
– @2300 customers cashflow will allow for full
repayment of loans and shares by year 12
• Take up rate >65%, Footprint 10,000 properties,
will get to 6500 connections
• Expansion is now self funding, each parish puts
up 100% of CAPEX
16th September 2015 INCA Rural Broadband Workshop 7