Michaelston-y-Fedw Lay Broadband Cables

Residents of Michaelston-y-Fedw dig 15 miles of trenches to lay their own super-fast cables.

21:25 02 July 2018

Residents of a tiny Welsh village have taken matters into their own hands by digging 15 miles of trenches to lay their own super-fast cables. Michaelston-y-Fedw – population about 300 – is tucked away in the countryside between Newport and Cardiff. The first households have just been connected and by the autumn, it is hoped that 90per cent of homes in the village will have access to internet speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps. The previous speed was just 4Mbps.

 

One of the organisers, Carina Dunk, 61, said: “It used to take a few days to download a film, now it will be less than a minute. Sometimes we have to take a step back and pinch ourselves at what we have done. Anyone can do it, it is not rocket science.”

 

Another villager, Brinley Richards, 79, said: “It is a remarkable success story. I am so proud of the community. The village deserves recognition. Some of the people work more than 12 hours a day. I have no doubt that other parts of Wales will be asking us for advice.”