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A radio link set up by Lancaster University has enabled all local schools and further education colleges to be linked up to the Internet at 100 times the usual speed for a fraction of the usual cost.

"I can't believe no one thought of this before," said Doug Shepherd, professor of computing. "It's a remarkably simple idea that for some reason has passed people by."

The university was approached by local schools seeking Inter-net know-how and Professor Shepherd's original idea was to connect them in the usual way using telephone wires and modems. But the idea quickly evolved. The Ednet, as it is now called, is described by Professor Shepherd as the cutting edge of developments in network technology.

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Conventional Internet links are relatively slow and expensive to operate, and suitable only for single users. The university has calculated that a school computer used by one pupil at a time and connected for three hours a day would run up a telephone bill of Pounds 1,500 per year.

Using the new radio link however, at two megabites per second, the only equipment required is an aerial and receiver, and the link is at least 100 times faster. Most importantly the running costs, according to Professor Shepherd, are almost negligible: "The price of this equipment has plummeted over the past year and pretty soon we should be able to increase the speed of the link still further without any additional cost."

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Lancaster Royal Grammar School has been working with the university to test the network which will soon be available to all Lancaster and Morecambe schools. Already the grammar school has 20 computers using the link which is also connected to those at the university by a small, flat radio receiver mounted behind a window.

The school is now planning to access current affairs and news in foreign languages next term to help with language teaching. In addition pupils will be able to communicate directly with their counterparts overseas using electronic mail.

From the university's perspective the project has important research implications since much time has been devoted to ensuring that the network is able to carry the necessary traffic.

Professor Shepherd said: "We can try out our own applications on the network, for instance video may be an option for the future. At the same time we develop excellent community relationships. Others are watching developments here very closely and we fully expect replica projects to start appearing."

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