News archive: BBC’s "The One Show" B4RN Feature
May 24th, 2012
Author: Chris Conder
Tags: b4rn BBC community digging farmers
Posted In: Archive News
Yesterday’s The One Show included a great report on B4RN. The film crew were in the area for the whole day and they have compressed the footage into a 5 minute report, which for prime time TV is a sizeable slot.
The report features interviews with
Andrew Metcalfe, a local farmer.
Christine Conder, B4RN Committee Member.
Brendan Dick, Managing Director, BT Regions at BT.
Barry Forde, CEO B4RN.
It also features clips from the Inaugural Dig Event made by local film producer John Hamlett.
BT’s Brendan Dick, who was interviewed on top of Jubilee Tower overlooking the B4RN area said providing fibre broadband to this area would be “a big challenge given the very disperse population” and “there’s not enough people“. When asked why BT cannot provide fibre service here Mr Dick said he’d “love to be able to do the whole of the UK but economics just kick in“. As the reporter rightly said, BT is not a charity, which is absolutely correct. Credit has to go to Mr Dick for his honest statement.
Christine Conder stated when asked why B4RN can do this when BT cannot, she replied, “the power of the farmers“. That being the whole community pulling together digging, publicising, granting free wayleaves and so on.
Barry Forde stated that the speed will be “500 times the government target” and will be good for “the next few decades“.
Following the report, Dragon’s Den, Hilary Devey said it was “fabulous” and she was “going to take the concept to Marakesh”
Overall it was an excellent report for B4RN and shows what can be done when a community pulls together. The first properties are due to be connected on July 14th.
Here is the video.
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