A new study from UK internet connection testing experts at SamKnows has revealed that some of the market’s largest broadband ISPs did suffer a performance decrease in both download speed and latency times since the Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown began, but the change is only around -2% to -3%.

In a new interview the CEO of ISP WightFibre, John Irvine, has spoken to ISPreview about some of the challenges they’ve faced in deploying Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband across the Isle of Wight (England), particularly obstacles created by the council, and their future hope of covering 71,000 premises by 2025.

Broadband ISP TalkTalk has won a legal case that was started by one of its former Programme Director’s, Rebecca Burke, who had crowd-funded an equal pay dispute against the provider after she allegedly claimed to have been paid far less than male colleges. But a tribunal found no evidence of discrimination or unfair dismissal.

Mobile operator EE (BT) has enhanced their response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis by announcing that it will enable unlimited mobile data (mobile broadband) for all NHS staff for the next six months. The offer is set to be supported, from today, with a TV campaign featuring Kevin Bacon (naturally).

Broadband ISP and TV provider Virgin Media UK has announced yet another bonus for existing Pay TV customers during the COVID-19 crisis. All of their TV customers will now gain free access to some of Sky’s most popular channels (e.g. Sky One, Sky Sports Mix etc.) from Good Friday until 9th May 2020.

Internet giant Google has announced that, due to the lockdown caused by COVID-19, they’re going to give video gamers in 14 countries (including the UK) “free access” to Stadia Pro for two months (usually £8.99 per month) and you can cancel at any time. Just makes sure your broadband ISP speed is up to the challenge.

Before it was only a mathematical model (here) but now, after three years, the idea of pushing broadband ISP speeds of up to 1 Terabit per second (1000000Mbps) along a traditional copper line by using previously unexploited “waveguide modes” is finally being turned into a practical lab test at Brown University (USA).

UK ISP Voneus, which builds Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband networks in rural parts of England, today restructured its senior management team by announcing three key appointments to help boost their future roll-out plans.

The Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA) and Point Topic have today estimated that alternative “full fibre” (FTTP/B) broadband ISPs grew their UK coverage by 50% in 2019 (up from 23% last year) and now reach 1,223,168 premises passed. Going forward such providers aspire to cover 15,734,673 by the end of 2025.

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) ISP Wildanet, which is working to extend their superfast broadband network to rural premises across parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and possibly South Wales, has secured additional equity investment of £400,000 from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF).

A complaint by rival mobile operator Three UK has prompted the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to ban a string of adverts for EE’s 4G and 5G network, which were all found to have made “misleading” claims of being the United Kingdom’s “No.1 network“, as well as being “UNRIVALLED” and “UNBEATABLE.“

Police have launched an investigation after hundreds of homes in Maryport, West Cumbria (England), were left without access to vital broadband connections following the theft of copper telecoms cables from Openreach’s (BT) local network during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.

Customers of cable broadband ISP Virgin Media UK, specifically those classified as “elderly” (aged 65+) or “vulnerable” and taking the operator’s landline phone service, are being given “free daytime calls” so they can stay connected “at no extra cost” during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.

The annual Broadband Genie 2020 survey has today presented several awards to Zen Internet and Direct Save Telecom (DST), which saw both UK ISPs scoop wins across multiple categories. In particular Zen scooped the “Best Broadband Provider” accolade among others, while DST won for value and customer care.

Mobile operator and ISP Vodafone UK informs us that customers taking one of their FTTC based “superfast home broadband” packages, specifically those who will need a brand new copper line installed, won’t have to pay the usual £60 one-off installation charge if they order before the end of April 2020.

Over the past few weeks all of the major UK mobile operators (O2, Vodafone, etc.) have responded to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis by, among other things, zero rating (no charge) data usage on specific support websites (e.g. NHS). But this doesn’t always work as advertised and can still eat into your allowance.

Mobile operator Three UK has, as part of its response to the COVID-19 crisis, launched a new “unlimited” 4G or 5G “Home Broadband” plan with a monthly rolling contract option (intended to complement the previous 12 and 24 month terms). A special plan has also been launched for use by NHS workers.