A new fast wireless broadband service has been rolled out to residents and businesses in rural parts of north Norfolk by ThinkingWISP.

The internet service provider (ISP) is offering consumers a choice of three speeds - 3Mbps, 8Mbps and 10Mbps - via the wireless system, which utilises signals transmitted from a mast at Norwich Airport to a receiver close to Marsham, near Aylsham.

Radio waves are then broadcast in all directions to small aerials fixed to individual properties across the region, reports the Eastern Daily Press.

The system is reliant upon line of sight between transmitter and receiver, but the relative flatness of the area combined with the height of the mast mean coverage is "excellent", the ISP claims.

However, prospective subscribers to the service can have the quality of their reception assessed before they sign up and an aerial is installed on their property.

Repeater units can also be added that allow the wireless broadband signal to pass around objects to reach homes or businesses that are tucked away.

Low contention rates - the number of people who share bandwidth - mean ThinkingWISP is able to guarantee a high-speed service.

Several public and private-sector organisations, including Norfolk Rural Community Council (NRCC), AF Affinity and InTouch Systems, were involved in the development of the ThinkingWISP system, which was partially funded by a grant of more than £37,000 from the EU and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Chief executive of the NRCC Jon Clemo noted there has been "lots of talk" about the issue of broadband speed and connectivity, but stressed ThinkingWISP is a service that residents in north Norfolk can take advantage of immediately.

George Bell, chairman of AF Affinity, added: "Many of our members rely on the internet to run rural businesses and farms. Getting fast, reliable and high-quality broadband is essential to living and working in the countryside."

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29th November 2011

Another option for hilly or forested terrain, a less expensive option than using many repeaters, is TV white space, a new technology that uses vacant TV signal (UHF) for broadband. Trial projects in the US are showing great success, and products will become commercially available to wireless Internet service providers (WISPs) by the first of the year.