The aim of the project is to investigate and trial a newly available broadband technology which will enable rural communities to enjoy the same digital connectivity as in urban areas and, if successful, will be replicable in other rural areas.

We will trial the technology known as Television “white space” in one area of Monmouthshire.

(White spaces is the name given to parts of the spectrum that are unused in a particular location and at a particular time. TV white spaces exist between airwaves primarily used for digital terrestrial TV broadcasting (470 MHz to 790 MHz). Ofcom made regulations on 18 December 2015 which enable licence exempt use of white space devices in the 470 – 790 MHz band. The regulations came into force on 31 December 2015).

The technology has been in existence for many years, but in the UK has fallen within the rights of the BBC.

Additionally, on 25 September 2015, Ofcom published a statement confirming its decision to license manually configurable white space devices. This licensing regime became operational in February 2016.

The total investment in this project is £15,500 with £12,400 of this amount from the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020
An Interim report has been prepared which can be downloaded from Interim Report for the TV White Space Broadband Trial