Work has started to use optical fibres to link up the giant radio telescope at Jodrell Bank with five others that are scattered across England. The interconnected array of radio telescopes called Merlin (Multi-Element Radio-Linked Interfometer Network) centred on Jodrell Bank in the north of England has been a remarkable scientific success.
The networked telescopes are currently linked by microwaves. Once upgraded to optical fibre, each telescope will be producing as much data as the entire UK public internet