Up to 1,000 households in Liverpool could be set to receive super-fast broadband via innovative powerline cable technology.

Project SmartGrid is set to launch a trial project on Merseyside, testing a solution which could deliver 200Mb download speeds to homes.

The technology is designed to provide broadband services via the existing electricity network, although upgrades will be needed to see the technology used widely.

In basic terms, broadband signals would ride the electricity grid at different wavelengths to electricity, should technical and regulatory challenges be overcome.

Supporters of powerline broadband believe it has the potential to bring high-speed web services to communities in rural areas, which are being left behind by the digital revolution.

Since electricity is available universally, upgrading networks to provide broadband could be a cheaper option than laying fibre-optic cable in some areas.

A new-build development from Plus Dane Homes will be used to test the technology, with further deployments possible in the future.