B4RN was set up in rural Lancashire in 2011 after people got fed up waiting for decent broadband. It has since enabled over 5000 homes and businesses (and counting) to connect to the world’s fastest rural broadband through it’s unique community-led approach

B4RN is an FCA-registered community benefit society. It is owned by the communities it serves and can’t be sold to, or taken over by, any commercial company. It relies on volunteers and landowner co-operation to keep build costs to a minimum. Any profits  must be returned to the community

Communities that want the B4RN service have to build their own segment of the B4RN network. This means raising funds by encouraging investment in B4RN shares,  identifying potential subscribers, persuading land owners to allow the network to cross their land and recruiting volunteers to do the build

B4RN subscribers all receive the same, affordable, very high speed service. No ‘up to’ caveats here and no extra charges for reaching remote properties

You can download a full HD film in around 10 seconds for example. The service can also upload as fast as it downloads making working from home as fast (or faster) than the office

The B4RN network is a brand new state of the art pure fibre optic network all the way to your door. It bypasses altogether the old speed-sapping BT Openreach copper telephone network cabling, over which, most broadband services (even those labelled ‘fibre’ or ‘superfast’) are delivered in this country

£30 per month on a 1 month contract. £150 install. Simple. You can even pay just for installation and activate the service when you are ready, perhaps when your current contract expires. Invest £1500 in B4RN shares and your installation is free!

B4RN provides a 1 gigabit (1000mb) FTTP (Fibre To The Premises), symmetrical, low latency, PtP (Point to Point) service. For everyone. The network uses the same highly reliable commodity hardware used by thousands of companies all over the world

You can keep your existing phone line if you wish but the B4RN service doesn’t need it. If you decide not to keep your line, use one of the internet phone services such as Vonage, sipgate, Voipfone etc. You will usually be able to retain your existing phone number and equipment if you do

Our network will be funded largely by local investors. You can buy B4RN shares with your funds ringfenced for our build. Interest of 5% pa is earned from day 1 of your investment. You can also loan B4RN money at 4% pa. See the main B4RN website for full details.

Volunteers from the community build the network. This includes landowners who may elect to bury the thin plastic network ducting themselves (typically using a mole plough) or accept the help of other volunteers. In return credits can be earned and used to buy shares in B4RN. Volunteers are needed for everything including making the tea!

Landowner co-operation is vital. Landowners give free permission for the network to cross their land (although they under no obligation to do this). The B4RN approach means they, and their community, can benefit from the world’s fastest rural broadband safe in the knowledge that their generosity will not be exploited for commercial gain

The B4RN network is extremely reliable and failures are very rare. if you do have an issue you will be able to talk directly to someone knowledgeable at their headquarters in Melling, Lancashire. No call centres. No scripts. Just real people whose aim is to help

B4RN have great rates for local businesses and enterprises. Businesses up to 5 staff pay the same £30 pm (incl vat) as the domestic service for example. The current price list is on the main B4RN website

Investors buy shares in B4RN directly from B4RN head office in Lancashire, backed up by local advice. However, details of investments are not revealed locally and remain private between the B4RN finance department in Melling, Lancashire and Individual investors. Only the gross investment figure is revealed to us so we can check if we have met fundraising targets

Having a very high speed broadband service can not only help you but can also help sell your house when the time comes. Rural homes for sale in Lancashire often mention they have the B4RN service. B4RN’s 1 month contract makes it easy and cheap to disconnect when you leave or reconnect when you move in