Schools get broadband over fibre - why can't we?

A broadband fibre network built to connect primary and secondary schools in London is a welcome step forward, both in terms of upgrading our educational infrastructure - something that's been in the news a fair bit this week - and providing broadband.

And that's something that's never far from our news pages.

The London Grid for Learning (LGfL) will be replicated in other parts of the country and is 10 times the size of the well-known higher education academic network, SuperJanet. The hope is that teachers and students will now benefit from the links they'll have from today.

The bigger question, however, is whether this kind of build out can be copied in other sectors. The providers, Equinox and Thus, working with BT and Pirelli (for the cabling), have estimated a cost of just over £20m.

Of course there will be annual fees on top of this paid by Local Education Authorities (LEAs), but there must be many an industry that would by itself stump up this kind of cash for broadband over fibre, even on a regional basis.

The only problem seems to have been the rate at which the fibre can be buried. BT/Pirelli haven't quite hit the deadline - so let's not hold our breath just yet about similar roll-outs elsewhere.