Many of these "notspots" were in rural areas or were the focus of economic regeneration programmes; local community organizations were beginning to develop their own services typically using Wi-Fi wireless technology but often without specialist telecommunications knowledge within their groups.

In 2006 CBN signed a joint venture agreement with Dutch consultancy Close the Gap, which was responsible for conceiving, planning and delivering the OnsNet (“our net” in English) Fibre to the Home (Ftth) project in the market town of Nuenen and then in Eindhoven.

[1] Retaining the social enterprise model, CBN now works with community groups, policy makers, and industry to develop thinking on next generation broadband platforms and strategies in the UK.

In 2009, CBN has been facilitating the creation of the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA)[5] to meet the Digital Britain recommendations.

INCA is essentially a trade association for independent network operators in the UK who are investing alternative next generation broadband infrastructures.