Months – if not years – of traffic lights and cones, congestion, delays, dug up roads, destroyed hedgerows and – worst of all – black cables being strung between telegraph poles that seem to pop up overnight. We hear so much about the 21st century roll out of fibre and yet the reality appears more like something from the 19th century.
And that’s not to the mention the convoys of vans that criss-cross our countryside with crews of engineers overseeing all of the above groundworks.
The environmental impact must be colossal.
In fact, we’re working with researchers on that very topic: the environmental impacts and benefits of wireless broadband versus traditional ‘in ground’ fibre.
We can’t wait for the results.
The above images are just some snapped on recent ventures out into north east Fife’s stunning countryside.
Unfinished works, cabling strewn across hedges and fields, signage uprooted and left after works have been ‘completed’ – and then the materials themselves, all with a huge impact on our environment and with a shelf life that demands maintenance, repair and replacement.
Increasingly, ‘fibre to the premises‘ is being deployed by stringing fibre between unsightly telegraph poles – presumably to save money – erected often in beautiful surroundings. The cabling is not akin to the relatively thin telegraph wires of old, but significantly thicker and more obvious black cables that stick out like sore thumbs.
Odd. If you have visited countries in what might be considered the ‘developing world’, you will have noticed their connectivity – by its absence. They have no industrial legacy to prop up, no historic infrastructure of poles or ducts where cables might be strung or buried. As a result, they look to the future: wireless.
History repeating itself?
The very first telegraph poles were the ‘Cooke & Wheatstones’ used commercially by Great Western Railways close to 200 years ago when the railway company was extending their line from London to Slough. Originally, they’d buried cables alongside tracks, but poor insulation caused headaches as the systems failed.
And so telegraph poles started popping up left, right and centre across the Western world. In the UK, Openreach alone have more than four million*. Surely the answer to a question that will pop up on House of Games in the near future?
What of their physical impact on our countryside?
Some chemicals used as wood preservers are toxic and have been found in the natural environment. The considered ‘improvements’ in weather-resistance has long-term drawbacks. Concerns have been raised about the toxicity of creosote-treated wood waste – bio-degradation can release toxic phenolic compounds into the soil. Not great. And yet our country remains obsessed with cabling and, as a result, suffers the consequences of that obsession.
Are the images below really what we should expect in the 21st century?
All to connect our homes and businesses to the internet? Broken equipment taped together to hold it in place. Frayed cabling left exposed to passers by. Connectors clipped to fencing using farmers’ barbed wire. Seriously?
We deliver as much of our network via wireless connectivity as is possible. Yes, we are anchored to the UK’s essential fibre network but, beyond that point, almost all of our delivery is point-to-multipoint wireless.
Credence Broadband will connect homes and businesses with our environment and communities at the forefront of our delivery.
What does that mean?
- Our Local Environment
- First and foremost, our wireless connections are delivered at a fraction of the environmental impact when measured against traditional cabled methods: fewer materials, less (if any) groundwork, almost zero effect on the landscape and no disruption to roads or pavements.
- We are working with local landowners to plant trees – one tree for every connection. That will aid sequestration of carbon – the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to held reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
- Our Local Communities
- We know – from our work in the Highlands – that we are enabling all manner of sustainable and supportive activity undertaken by people who, until connected to our network, have been ignored or written off. Home working, rural businesses, online provision of education, access to essential health and social care services – not to mention improved social inclusion and community benefits delivered by improved connectivity. Over and above the connections, a percentage of every customers’ subscription is reinvested by us to the benefit of local communities:
- Promoting our area: Credence Broadband is working with a number of local partners and stakeholders to help promote our area to an ever-growing audience … at home and further afield. This includes organisations covering Cupar, St Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife. Primarily, our focus is to support businesses that help our area to thrive – to share their messaging and to make more people aware of the amazing shopping services and food & drink offering that’s on our doorstep. And our work will be amplified by those positive and proactive businesses who engage with us.
- Support for community groups: beyond our promotion of businesses is our support for the area’s community groups, culture & tourism projects as well as the help we can give to initiatives that help to improve our local environment.
- Education, Health & Social Care: underpinning our delivery is the wish to highlight the fantastic work that is delivered across our area in support of those who are most in need: from our children and their education to those who need additional support once they reach adulthood. The healthcare partnerships that exist across the public, private and third sectors as well as the array of incredible charities, organisations and community causes who reach out to the most vulnerable. We are happy to share and showcase their work where we can.
- We know – from our work in the Highlands – that we are enabling all manner of sustainable and supportive activity undertaken by people who, until connected to our network, have been ignored or written off. Home working, rural businesses, online provision of education, access to essential health and social care services – not to mention improved social inclusion and community benefits delivered by improved connectivity. Over and above the connections, a percentage of every customers’ subscription is reinvested by us to the benefit of local communities:
Combined, all of the above helps to drive sustainable economic support for our area. No other provider or network offers the same.
Interested?
If you live in any of the towns or villages featured in our Coverage ‘roll out’ section and would like to sign-up to Credence Broadband’s offering, please click on this link or on the image below to complete our sign-up form.
You will find all information on our pricing, installation process and more on the FAQs on this link.
If you have any questions, please get in touch using our Contact Form via this link.
* Source: ISP Review, March 2022
Thank you for reading.
