Electricity pylons will be used to deliver super-fast fibre optic 50Mbps broadband connection in a test in a Welsh village.
Residents of Crumlin will be able to receive super-fast broadband connection as Virgin Media, which is teaming up with utility services provider Surf Telecoms, has installed the fibre optic broadband cables alongside the utility firm's power lines.
Rather than deploying the cables through BT's underground cable network, it is easier and cheaper to use the pylons to install fibre optic cables, Virgin Media has said.
Richard Doble, the policy manager of Surf Telecom, a part of the Western Power Distribution organisation, said: "Western Power Distribution's electricity infrastructure reaches over 2.5 million homes across South West England and South and West Wales and, with this trial, we're exploring an innovative new approach that could bring ultrafast broadband to many customers for the first time."
Locals trialling the service are expected to receive download speeds of up to 50 Mbps, Virgin has said.
The trial, which is due to run until 2011, will begin next month.
