High-speed community broadband is breaking out all over

Fibre cabling runs through the sewers in Bournemouth

There are already nearly 40 locally-organised schemes in the UK for installing fibre-optic high-speed broadband networks, according to a new report (PDF) from advisory body the Communications Consumer Panel.

The findings come ahead of the much-anticipated release of the government's Digital Britain review – due before the end of January – that is expected to include plans for stimulating nationwide rollout of next-generation broadband infrastructure.

Communications Consumer Panel member Roger Darlington said that some people may be surprised to learn that there are already so many community-based initiatives to install super-fast broadband.

"The various schemes are of very different sizes and at very different stages of development, but collectively they show a range of funding and business models, and various technical delivery options," he said.

"All this regional and local activity should contribute significantly to the national debate on the timing and form of next-generation access rollout in the UK."

Examples of local networks include the Digital Region project in South Yorkshire, that aims to connect all households and businesses in the area to give fast internet access to at least 500,000 people.

A project in Bournemouth announced earlier this week that it has had its first 30 residential customers connected to a new 100Mbit/s optical fibre broadband network using cabling installed in the sewers by H2O Networks.