Plans for a new network of ‘air-fibre’ poles that carry high speed broadband across Oldham have been unveiled.

IX Wireless has applied to the council for 29 poles to be installed, each 15 metres in height, in various locations across the borough.

They will facilitate the creation of a ‘gigabit capable electronic communications network’ which can deliver broadband speeds of up to 300Mb – compared to Oldham’s current average download speed of 58.57 Mbps.

IX Wireless’s overhead networks have already gone live across Lancashire, including Blackburn, Blackpool, Fleetwood and Burnley.

According to IX Wireless’s website, the company is planning to bring the system to Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Preston, Rochdale, Salford and Tameside soon. And they have a ‘roadmap’ to delivering 1Gb services by the end of 2023.

The applications in Oldham have been submitted under permitted development rights, meaning they do not require planning permission from the local authority.

A planning statement submitted on behalf of one application states that IX Wireless is committed to dedicating 20 per cent of its network bandwidth capacity to address digital exclusion, as part of its ‘Internet for Everyone’ campaign.

“Once the applicant’s distribution network in a town is complete it seeks to engage and collaborates with local authorities, schools, housing associations, community centres, and charities to identify digitally excluded members of the community and provide bandwidth for use in third-party programmes and initiatives,” the report adds.

The system works from cabinets which are directly linked to data centre centres from which they receive full fibre broadband.

Telegraph poles then carry fibre cables overhead from the cabinet to the transmitter which acts as a broadcasting mast.

The fibre signal is then sent wirelessly from the transmitter to a small receiver fitted to the property. The transmitter is cabled directly to the router, delivering fibre speeds to the router.

IX Wireless launched in 2017 with the goal of bringing '21st-century digital infrastructure to towns and cities across the North West and beyond’. Its first network went live in Blackburn in 2020.

It wants to expand to serve an additional 400,000 homes and businesses, and eventually deliver broadband to four million properties by the end of 2025.

The 29 poles in Oldham would be based at:

Lees New Road, Oldham

The junction of Spinners Way and Whinberry Way, Oldham

Otley Close, Chadderton

Acacia Road, Oldham

Denbydale Way, Royton

Raymond Avenue, Chadderton

Westminster Road, Failsworth

Propps Hall Drive, Failsworth

Saint Georges Square, Chadderton

Godson Street, Oldham

Gartside Street, Oldham

Glebe Street, Shaw

Athens Way, Lees

Burnley Lane, Chadderton

Shaw Road, Royton

Peveril Road, Oldham

Middleton Road, Chadderton

Hollins Road, Oldham

Mill Gate, Oldham

Lowe Green, Royton

Ashton Road, Oldham

Eldon Street, Oldham

Sickle Street, Oldham

Wimpole Street, Oldham

Cobden Street, Oldham

Ronald Street, Oldham

Buttercup Drive, Oldham