IN ancient times, remote villages would communicate with each other by lighting fires.

Today, a company in North Yorkshire is hoping to duplicate those links using broadband technology.

Phil Upton, Village Beacon sales and marketing director, said: "The principle of the original fire baskets was they were lit to send a message from village to village across the countryside. Village Beacon aims to do the same thing and connect villages together."

Village Beacon Limited will connect isolated areas in North Yorkshire to the wider world in a move that will benefit businesses, organisations and households.

The firm, based in Richmond, will assess the most effective way of connecting people, either by satellite or through BT, by carrying out feasibility studies and surveys.

Catterick Village was linked to broadband earlier this year through a satellite system.

Mr Upton said: "Broadband is essential for so many reasons. More people are wanting to download bigger files, children are wanting to do their homework and businesses need to be competitive and have high performance communication facilities."