Rural Connectivity Accelerator programme projects
Published 11 November 2024
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Dorset Council
- Government funding: £163,021
- Sectors: tourism, charity, transport (heritage rail and road), local authority
Project summary
Swanage Railway is a large, volunteer-led charity contributing >£15 million a year to the Dorset Economy. The Heritage railway provides a green tourism transport corridor between Wareham and Swanage, providing 202,000 passenger journeys in 2019, taking 60,000 car journeys off the road every year. Rising costs and falling visitor numbers necessitate cost reduction targets of £350,000 in 2024. The railway went cashless in March 2024, despite the rural areas being poorly served by fixed and mobile operators
The project aims to solve this by aggregate public mobile phone signals with Low Earth Orbit satellite failover to provide public WiFi across the poorly connected council car park, Norden station and onboard heritage railway carriages.
Main objectives of the pilot project:
- Enable cashless payments for council parking and railway ticketing, reducing costs and increasing income.
- Improve visitor experience and enhanced social media opportunities, to promote the area to their audiences.
- Improve safety with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) WiFi calling available for staff, volunteers and visitors (as well as local communities).
Ceredigion County Council
- Government funding: £128,229
- Sectors: agriculture, digital, environmental science, public health, local authority (LA)
Project summary
This initiative addresses the critical need for reliable data collection and connectivity in rural areas by deploying Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite-supported LoRaWAN technology. It uses advanced sensor networks to deliver real-time, high-frequency data on nutrient levels throughout the River Teifi catchment. The primary goal is to enable effective nutrient pollution management, safeguarding the river ecosystem and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations.
The project specifically targets areas where terrain and environmental factors limit traditional terrestrial LoRaWAN coverage. By integrating new sensors and LEO satellite backhaul, it will close existing monitoring gaps, providing a continuous and comprehensive flow of data. This information will allow stakeholders to respond more effectively to pollution issues and develop targeted strategies for ecosystem protection.
Additionally, the initiative seeks to demonstrate the scalability and potential of LEO technology to enhance rural digital infrastructure. By addressing connectivity challenges in remote locations, the project will establish a model that can be replicated for various environmental and rural development needs. This includes applications in environmental science, sustainable agriculture, and smart infrastructure, contributing to broader advancements in data-driven ecosystem management and rural connectivity. The integration of cutting-edge technology highlights the project’s commitment to protecting natural resources and fostering innovation in environmental monitoring.