Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Digital Agenda (160 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Digital Agenda

UK SMEs Beat EU Rivals by Extracting More Value from Fast Broadband

20th October, 2014 (6 Comments)

The latest research from Point Topic and Adroit Economics has suggested that SME businesses could benefit to the tune of 40bn Euros (£32bn+ Gross Value Added) by 2020 thanks to the roll-out of “superfast broadband” services, with firms in the United Kingdom predicted to be one of the top three performers with GVA of 6bn+ Euros (£4.75bn+). But before too long businesses may be asking for 250Mbps+.

European Commission Warns Big Telecoms Operators – “Adapt or Die”

2nd October, 2014 (8 Comments)

The outgoing Vice-President of the European Commission’s (EC) Digital Agenda project, Neelie Kroes, had stern words for members of the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association (ETNO) yesterday when she warned against protectionist positions and stated that “sometimes I think the telecoms sector is its own worst enemy“.

Europe Offers Support to Local Community Broadband Projects

10th July, 2014 (0 Comments)

The European Commission (EC) has today moved to complement their Digital Agenda project, which aims to make broadband speeds of 30Mbps+ available to all EU homes come 2020, by launching a new “Connected Communities” initiative that offers additional funding and support to local community broadband partnerships and operators.

UPD Study Claims You Will Need 165Mbps of Broadband Speed by 2020

26th June, 2014 (39 Comments)

A new study conducted by NL Kabal and Cable Europe, which is a trade association for cable operators like Virgin Media, has boldly predicted that in around 6 years’ time the average consumer demand for broadband ISP download speeds will reach a staggering 165Mbps and uploads of 20Mbps. Miles above today’s current average.

UK Broadband Strong in Latest EU 2014 Digital Agenda Scoreboard

28th May, 2014 (5 Comments)

The European Commission has today published the 2014 EU Broadband Scorecard, which reveals the United Kingdom’s progress toward Europe’s overall Digital Agenda goal of ensuring that 100% of homes have access to superfast broadband speeds of 30Mbps+ by 2020 (50% must also be taking 100Mbps+). The good news is we’re doing well but rural areas are still lagging.

Europe Softens State Aid Rules for Faster Broadband Deployments

27th May, 2014 (2 Comments)

As expected the European Commission (EC) has adopted a revised General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) for the use of state aid (tax payers money) with regards to rolling out faster Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband networks, which among other things means that broadband funding under €70m (£57m) doesn’t have to be notified or approved by the EC.

Europe Adopts New Rules to Cut Broadband Deployment Costs

14th May, 2014 (1 Comment)

The Council of the European Union last week formally adopted new rules that aim to make it both “easier and cheaper” to roll-out ultrafast broadband networks, such as fibre optic infrastructure. In addition the new rules also call for a voluntary “Broadband-Ready” label on buildings with high-speed access and for all new builds after 31st December 2016 to be constructed “high-speed ready“.

European Parliament Clears Tougher Rules to Protect an Open Internet

3rd April, 2014 (1 Comment)

The European Parliament’s vote today to “end [mobile] roaming charges” by Christmas 2015 and protect open access to the Internet arguably masks the real story, which is that several new amendments have introduced a clear and very specific reference for the “principle of net neutrality” (i.e. treating all Internet traffic as equal).

EU and UK Next Gen Broadband Uptake Improves But 100Mbps Still Rare

25th March, 2014 (5 Comments)

A new report into the state of Internet connectivity around Europe (price and speed) has today revealed that nearly one in five EU fixed broadband subscriptions went to a superfast broadband (30Mbps+) service but ultrafast connections (100Mbps+) are still rare, with penetration (subscriptions as a % of population) standing at just 1.2% (0.4% in the UK).

EU ITRE Committee Approve Net Neutrality and Cheaper Roaming Rules

18th March, 2014 (3 Comments)

The European Parliament’s ITRE Industry Committee has this morning voted in favour of the new Telecoms Single Market Regulation, which proposes a raft of changes including measures to protect open Internet access from abuse by ISPs (Net Neutrality), ending EU mobile roaming charges, coordinating spectrum for wireless/mobile operators and various other measures like easier switching between broadband providers.

UPDATE 75% of UK Homes Can Get 30Mbps Capable Superfast Broadband

12th March, 2014 (4 Comments)

The latest research from Point Topic has claimed that superfast broadband (30Mbps+) coverage in the United Kingdom increased by 4.9% during 2013, reaching a total coverage of 75.2% (20.4 million homes) during the beginning of 2014. Ofcom has also published their European Broadband Scorecard, which puts the UK ahead of the other “major” EU states.

Europe Approve Weakened Broadband Infrastructure Investment for 100Mb+

26th February, 2014 (0 Comments)

The European Parliament has today approved a €1bn (£820m) Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) investment package, which aims to support pan-European digital projects. But only 15% has been earmarked to support broadband projects of which at least one third will aim at speeds of 100Mbps+.

UK Comes Top of the Major EU Countries for Superfast Broadband

3rd December, 2013 (3 Comments)

The latest Analysys Mason study has claimed that the United Kingdom remains top of the “big five” (EU5) European countries (i.e. France, Germany, Italy and Spain) in terms of superfast broadband (30Mbps+) coverage, take-up, average service speeds and competition. But the wider picture remains more complex.

MEPs Support “Broadband Ready” Label for Homes and Cheaper Civil Works

29th November, 2013 (2 Comments)

Europe’s ITRE Industry Committee yesterday approved a draft law that could help to cut the cost of civil works (e.g. digging up roads to lay new fibre optic cable) when deploying new broadband infrastructure. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have also called for a voluntary “broadband-ready” label on new homes.

EU Publish 2013 Map of Superfast Broadband Coverage in UK and Europe

27th November, 2013 (40 Comments)

The European Commission (EC) has quietly published an updated annual report into the coverage of superfast broadband (Next Generation Access) services around the EU, which shows that good progress is being made in most areas towards achieving the Digital Agenda goals (e.g. 30Mbps+ for all by 2020) but some countries are dragging their feet.

EU Regulators Seek Delay to New Broadband and Telecoms Measures

21st October, 2013 (0 Comments)

The Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications, which represents national telecoms regulators (e.g. Ofcom in the UK) across the EU, has called upon the European Commission to delay its Single Telecoms Market reform because, they claim, it fails to take correct account of actual NGA broadband coverage, service speeds, prices and 4G investment etc.

Europe Claims 100% Basic Broadband Target Won via Satellite

18th October, 2013 (17 Comments)

Sooner or later a politician was bound to play the quick-fix card. The European Commission has declared that the race to achieve 100% coverage of basic broadband services has been achieved thanks to the help of pan-EU Satellite availability. Concerns over capacity, performance and price appear to have been left at the door.