Although the government and the major telecommunications networks are pumping money into the future of broadband in the UK, not everyone is relying on support from the public sector or large private organisations. In Dorset and Cumbria, two new schemes are being put in motion with local backing in order to ensure that businesses and residents in these regions can keep up with the rest of the country and get high speed broadband.

In Dorset it was revealed earlier this week that provider South West Internet (SWI) was seeking funding to help initiate new plans that would see an upgrade to its current broadband network, allowing for better coverage and faster speeds. At the moment it mostly offers businesses and consumers broadband via an extensive wireless network, but it hopes to use fibre optic technology to offer even faster speeds of 100Mbps or more.

SWI is calling on local enterprises to help support its plans and most will consider it an investment in the future of their business. A trio of local councils are also adding funding to the project, although input from the local business community will be necessary to ensure that it is a success.

In Cumbria local councillors are pushing for a new fibre optic broadband trial to be carried out. The trial will hopefully use money from the Northwest Regional Development Agency, which currently has the means to support pilot schemes in two different areas of the region.

A spokesperson for the county council voiced some concern that without action it was possible that Cumbria could become overlooked during the implementation of new broadband technologies. It was also suggested that with high speed connections available, the region would be far more attractive to businesses, which would cause faster growth in the local economy and help to drive new BT business broadband packages and those from other providers.