UK Church Spires Used to Boost Phone & WiFi Signals
SALISBURY, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 14: A view of Salisbury Cathedral on September 14, 2016 in Salisbury, England. Salisbury Cathedral, alongside a handful of other English cathedrals, is rare in having its own Works Department. It consists of a multi-disciplined team of artisans with expertise in many fields. It currently offers a stonemasonry apprenticeship which allows the traditional skills to be passed on whilst also gaining recognised qualifications. Since 1986 the cathedral has been running a continuous major repair programme and although work has been completed in several key areas, such as the spire, there is still a great deal of work to be done. The cathedral celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2008 and these works will ensure that it stays in good repair for centuries to come. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Church spires across Britain will be used to boost broadband, mobile phone and WiFi connectivity in rural areas, under a deal struck between the government and the Church of England, it was announced Sunday.
“This agreement with the Church of England will mean that even a 15th century building can help make Britain fit for the future,” said Matt Hancock, the minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
The CoE has 16,000 church buildings and around 65 percent of its churches are located in rural communities, making them ideal hosts of key digital infrastructure.
There are currently more than 120 cases of broadband and mobile services being delivered from parish churches, from wireless transmitters fitted in spires and towers, to aerials, satellite dishes and fibre cables.
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