Under-served areas of Yorkshire to get ultra-fast broadband

Boundless is one of the first wireless internet service providers (WISPs) in England to deliver fibre-fast broadband to remote, low-population areas. Recognising the importance of future-proofing the network, the WISP builds out all new sites to ultra-fast standards, to keep offerings as competitive as possible and maintain future sustainability. Residential and business subscribers can sign up for packages offering speeds between 50Mbps and 100Mbps. Previously unreachable customers now typically receive 160Mbps IP throughput, which can be shaped down to the appropriate subscription level.

Boundless deployed both point-to-multi-point MicroPoP and GigaPoP architectures to create the new fibre-fast network. GigaPoPs are tower deployments using sectored Mimosa A5c connectorised access points with focused antennas to service subscribers over a large geographic area. MicroPoP installations are deployments of Mimosa A5 access points mounted on strategically located village rooftops which connect to Mimosa C5 client devices, located on subscriber roof-tops.

Subscribers hosting an access point agree to provide rooftop access in exchange for discounted service, a strategy which enables Boundless to scale quickly. All access points operate using 40MHz channels using Mimosa’s proprietary Spectrum Reuse Synchronization (SRS) technology, and each access point supports approximately 25 subscribers. Given the favourable economics of the business model, Boundless plans to roll-out the ultra-fast service across northern England, including North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Lancashire, over the next two years.

“Our network is designed and built to offer our customers fast speeds, a rich suite of service offerings and the best service levels possible,” said David Burns, Managing Director of Boundless. “We wanted to team with Mimosa as they are the only company operating at this level, with stable and predictable solutions performing as advertised. Customers expect and deserve broadband that will support Ultra HD video streaming on demand and will connect a growing number of TVs, tablets, smartphones, PCs and smart home equipment. Mimosa’s Ultrafast Fixed 5G solutions have allowed Boundless to jump ahead of city speeds in rural locations.”

Burns continued: “Being able to deploy this ultra-fast network which goes way beyond the Government’s target of 30Mbps is a huge benefit to the rural communities we serve, delivering superfast speeds directly to their homes today. School children in rural areas no longer need to play catch up with their classmates in urban and suburban areas. Ultra-fast wireless broadband is here for all, and Boundless is leading the way in delivering it.”

“We are excited to partner with Boundless to deliver the ultimate broadband experience to its subscribers with our fibre-fast wireless solutions,” said John Colvin, Mimosa’s Senior Vice President of Global Field Operations. “We are gratified to see service providers embracing innovative solutions like fixed wireless that accelerate the process of connecting their customers at significantly less cost and with less disruption than other technologies. Affordably connecting remote areas with a future-proof broadband service will ultimately bridge the digital divide.”