Lodestar: Free 4G for Nuneaton & Bedworth

Aim

Our aim is to roll out the UKs first community 4G network, in nuneaton and bedworth.

Lodestar: Free 4G for Nuneaton & Bedworth

Help put Nuneaton and Bedworth on the map for free community mobile connectivity.

We are raising £50,000 towards five planned sites offering free 4G data, free calls and free texts within our local coverage areas. Our ambition is a UK first: a locally built, community-supported 4G network providing these services free of charge. We want Nuneaton and Bedworth to be where it starts.

My name is Blake Williams. I am 22, from Nuneaton, and I am the founder of Lodestar Networks. I am autistic, and building my own mobile network has been a lifelong dream. Over many months, I have been turning that dream into something people can use, learning the technology, solving problems and building the systems myself.

The project began in December 2025 under the name AzurePCS, with a home computer and a small radio setup. Seeing a phone connect to a network I had built was an enormous milestone. Today, Lodestar has grown to three servers in London, with its own mobile network systems, voice and messaging. You can read more about that journey in Lodestar’s story.

Now I want to bring that work to more people.

A connection can mean applying for a job, keeping up with schoolwork, accessing everyday services or speaking to someone you care about. I want Lodestar to help people stay connected without having to pay for the local mobile service.

Your support will help fund the equipment and installation needed to establish our first five sites across Nuneaton and Bedworth. Each Baicells Nova442i radio costs £2,600. Alongside the radios, we need mounting and power equipment, internet connections, installation and funding for the initial running costs.

Lodestar Networks is a limited company. I currently take no salary, and any profits are reinvested into maintaining, improving and expanding the network.

I also want to make telecoms more welcoming. My own experience of learning has not always been encouraging, so sharing knowledge matters to me. As Lodestar develops, I want to publish guides that help others understand the technology and build networks for their own communities.

We will grow coverage site by site. Final locations and service availability will depend on surveys, permissions, licensing and testing. These five planned sites are the beginning of what we hope to build.

With your help, Nuneaton and Bedworth can lead the way. Please donate, share our story or get in touch if you could help host a site. Together, we can turn a personal dream into a useful connection for our community.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 30th January 2027 at 5:33pm