Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Ofcom Regulation (1461 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Ofcom Regulation

Ofcom Satisfied with Openreach Split from BT, But Fibre Needs Work

15th November, 2018 (3 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today issued an update on Openreach’s legal separation from BT. Overall they were “broadly satisfied with progress,” although Ofcom still wants to see more progress being made on improving “full fibre” (FTTP) and general broadband ISP connectivity.

More Spectrum Opens for UK Ultrafast Fixed Wireless Connectivity

8th November, 2018 (2 Comments)

Ofcom has today announced that they will be imminently releasing more radio spectrum in the licence exempt 57-71GHz bands, which they suggest could be used to help deliver fixed wireless broadband and 5G style connections at potentially “fibre-like speeds“.

Q2 2018 UK ISP Complaints Report Shames TalkTalk – Praises Sky

8th November, 2018 (5 Comments)

Ofcom’s latest Q2 2018 UK complaints report finds that consumer moans are falling, while Sky Broadband attracted the least gripes for fixed line broadband (TalkTalk attracted the most) and it was the same story for landline phone services. Pay TV and Mobile providers are also included.

Ofcom Warns UK Phone Providers to Stop Obstructing Number Ports

7th November, 2018 (4 Comments)

The national telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has published a new letter that warns fixed telecoms providers against blocking or hindering consumers from being able to port their telephone numbers to a different provider, which is sadly something that continues to occur but is also “unacceptable and unlawful“.

Ofcom Try Again for Openreach UK Dark Fibre and Unrestricted PIA

2nd November, 2018 (13 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today begun consulting on their new Business Connectivity Market Review 2018/19 (BCMR), which among other things is proposing “unrestricted access” to Openreach’s (BT) cable ducts / telegraph poles to boost fibre broadband. It will also try again to impose a Dark Fibre Access (DFA) product.

New UK Regulatory Regime Begins for Legally Separate Openreach

31st October, 2018 (13 Comments)

Ofcom has today confirmed that they’ve formally released BT from their 2005 Undertakings, which among other things means that Openreach is now subject to a different set of regulations and regarded as a “legally separate” company from its parent with its own independent identity, employees and board etc.

BT Group Picks Philip Jansen to Replace Gavin Patterson as CEO

25th October, 2018 (5 Comments)

After a lengthy hunt the UK telecoms giant, BT, has finally found a replacement for their outgoing Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gavin Patterson, in the form of ex-Worldpay co-chief, Philip Jansen (age 51). Patterson will continue to serve as CEO until 31st January 2019.

Openreach to Stop Providing Battery Backup for FTTP Broadband

19th October, 2018 (36 Comments)

At present new installations of Openreach’s (BT) Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based UK ultrafast broadband ISP technology all come with a Battery Backup Unit (BBU) by default next to the Optical Network Unit (ONT), which helps users to maintain access to emergency services if they use VoIP. But this is about to stop.

Future UK Trains May Need up to 3.6Gbps of Data Speed for Mobile

16th October, 2018 (8 Comments)

Ofcom has published the technical advice that they supplied to the government on improving rail passengers’ access to mobile data services (mobile broadband via 3G, 4G or 5G), which identifies some useful spectrum bands and estimates that by 2025 the busiest trains may need to be fed by 1.7Gbps to 3.6Gbps of capacity.

MPs Tell UK Gov to Prioritise Rural 4G Mobile Cover over Licence Fees

15th October, 2018 (0 Comments)

A new cross-party report has warned that there is “no silver bullet for how to improve rural mobile coverage” in the United Kingdom, but it has recommended five ways in which the Government could boost 4G network coverage enough to help achieve or beat the current target for 95% geographic coverage by 2022.

New Guidelines on Accessing Emergency Services via Broadband VoIP

12th October, 2018 (19 Comments)

Ofcom has this week published their final guidance on how UK providers of Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) or similar broadband-based phone services can ensure that their customers are still able to call the emergency services in a power cut.

Survey Points to Flaw in Ofcom’s Planned End of Contract Notifications

9th October, 2018 (6 Comments)

The latest uSwitch survey of 2,006 UK adults, which was conducted in September 2018, has suggested that Ofcom’s new end-of-contract notification letters could save mobile, phone and broadband ISP consumers £1bn+ a year. But there’s concern that the letters may also result in some being hit by early termination charges.

Ofcom Seeks to Fix Loss of UK Phone Number During Switches

5th October, 2018 (6 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has secured £700,000 from the Government’s new £10m Regulators’ Pioneer Fund in order to fuel a project that will seek to make it even quicker to switch broadband or phone provider, as well as to stop situations where switching may cause you to lose your phone number.

NIC Examine Regulation of the UK Telecoms and Broadband Industry

3rd October, 2018 (1 Comment)

The Government’s National Infrastructure Commission has announced that they intend to conduct an examination of regulation in the UK energy, telecoms and water industries. The study will look at what future changes may be required to meet future needs, as well as any impact upon competition and investment.

Ofcom Probe EE and Vodafone for Rural UK Mobile Coverage Errors UPDATE

2nd October, 2018 (10 Comments)

The national telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today launched a new investigation that aims to establish whether or not EE and Vodafone provided “accurate information” in response to their requests for 3G and 4G mobile coverage predictions across the United Kingdom.

Ofcom Finds Full Fibre Broadband Now Available to 5% of UK Premises

2nd October, 2018 (3 Comments)

The telecoms regulator has today published their latest Q2 2018 update to last year’s Connected Nations report, which uses more recent data from April 2018 to provide the latest coverage statistics for UK mobile and fixed line broadband networks. For example, “full fibre” (FTTP) coverage has risen to 5% (1.4 million premises).

Ofcom UK Moves to End Abuse of Premium 070 Phone Numbers

1st October, 2018 (6 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today announced their decision to clamp down on scams that abuse premium rate 070 numbers, which are often mistaken by consumers for mobile numbers (which always begin with ’07’). In response Ofcom will slash the wholesale cost of calling such numbers .