Top 10 coolest networks

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Speedy broadband part two

However, Virgin Media’s broadband network is a few steps ahead.

The company has already connected 12 million homes to a network capable of speeds up to 50Mbps, but even more impressive is the current trial taking place in Kent.

A lucky 100 customers in the south east county are getting to trial Virgin’s attempt at 200Mbps broadband. Although Virgin has admitted they don’t yet see a commercial market for speeds of such magnitude, the technology is a definite positive when looking to the future of broadband networks in the UK.

4G is our future

4G is a network of a different kind, but it's another step towards the future - and not just in the UK, but across Europe.

The European Commission has recently announced an investment of €18 million (£15.7 million) into Advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology which could provide Europe with mobile internet speeds of up to 1Gbps. Although 3G trials are already occurring and giving speeds of up to 100Mbps, this investment could see it doubling by 2013.

City Wi-Fi

This may have launched two years ago, but it has inspired a range of further external networks, getting cities high on Wi-Fi.

The City of London Network, provided by The Cloud, launched in 2007 and made 95 per cent of the square mile a hot spot for the rat race to take advantage of. It connects up to 350,000 workers and visitors via 127 nodes hidden within lamp posts and street signs.

The Cloud provide a lot of consumer wireless areas in pubs, shops and cafes but this, along with its network in Canary Wharf, made the leap into connecting up a much larger area.

Networks for the kids

It may not come across as an exciting network, but we think this one deserves a place in the top ten for its educational advancements.

A multi-million pound network has been built in Hertfordshire to link up almost 600 education centres across the county. It means that both students and teachers can easily access online resources such as exam revision or the new British Pathé Archive, containing hours of news footage, to help with their studies.

It may not be as exciting as Airport security or the big city, but it is projects like this that help bring Britain into the digital age.

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