Satellite broadband pilot announced for farms in ‘not spots’.
A new county council pilot project could address broadband ‘not spots’ across Lincolnshire’s agricultural sector, utilising satellite broadband technology.
Recognising the importance of digital connectivity to modern farming operations, the Greater Lincolnshire Forum for Agriculture and Horticulture have worked alongside Lincolnshire County Council to propose and develop potential solutions to rural connectivity.
From this, a pilot has been developed to assess whether satellite broadband technology could improve download speeds for some of the county's most rural farming businesses.
The pilot will purchase and install Starlink facilities on properties without fibre broadband across the council’s County Farms estate. Farmers would then contract directly with Starlink for a subscription package that best meets their individual business requirements.
As part of the pilot, the county council will look to evaluate:
- satellite broadband reliability and resilience in rural areas.
- download and upload speeds achieved on participating farms.
- ease of installation and ongoing operation.
- the impact improved connectivity could have on farm businesses.
- the viability of satellite broadband as a wider solution for farms and rural properties across Lincolnshire.
Evidence from other rural areas suggests that satellite broadband can be deployed quickly, requires minimal infrastructure. If found to be successful in Lincolnshire, the initiative could be rolled out across the county to farms where fibre-based solutions are unlikely to be delivered in the near future.
Cllr Paul Lock, Executive Councillor for Economy and Investment, said: “A lack of reliable broadband is a real issue for many rural businesses, especially farms. Today, so much farming depends on being connected, from paperwork and accounting to livestock management, or simply everyday communication.
"In reality, it's becoming harder and harder to run a business without good internet access. This pilot will help us see whether satellite broadband could offer a real practical solution for farms and other rural businesses that struggle with poor connectivity.”
The county council is now working with the County Farms estate to gather expressions of interest in the pilot to help assess the benefits and performance of the technology.