Madley Communications Centre

Madley Communications Centre is British Telecom's earth satellite tracking station, between Madley and Kingstone, Herefordshire, England.

It lies on Colstone Common at gbmapping|SO420360.cite web|url=http://www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/db.php?smr_no=42062|work=Historic Herefordshire Online|title=SMR record 42062 - Madley Satellite Communication Centre|author=Tony Reeve|year=2005|accessdate=2006-09-10] The site dates from 1975 and is in active use for international telephone, fax and television transmission and reception.

The site first went into service in September 1978 [BBC news report of anniversary celebrations, 25 September 2008] on the site of a disused World War II airfieldcite web|url=http://www.smr.herefordshire.gov.uk/db.php?smr_no=12530|work=Historic Herefordshire Online|title=SMR record 12530 - Airfield, Madley|author=Hilary White|year=1992|accessdate=2006-09-10] , built in 1940.

Madley was the first UK satellite site to transmit a fully digital transmission via a system called TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access).

The only similar site in the United Kingdom is at Goonhilly in Cornwall. On 12 September 2006, BT announced it will shut down satellite operations at Goonhilly in 2008, and move them to Madley in Herefordshire, which will become BT's only earth station and the biggest in the world.

The grounds are leased as an educational nature reserve.

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