Author: Mark Jackson | 4 Comments

Around 300 homes in the Peak District National Park (central England) could be about to lose access to an 80Mbps capable superfast fixed wireless broadband network because of a planning dispute, which exists between local ISP Derbyshire Broadband and the park authority. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

Canadian firm Genesis Technical Systems (GTS) has managed to get their long-gestating mBond technology through BT’s Modem Conformance Testing (MCT) for the SIN498 standard, which means that their bonded copper broadband line kit can be used on Openreach’s FTTC (VDSL2) network. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 4 Comments

Traditionally Virgin Media is more of an urban centric cable operator, although a new campaign in the rural Test and Dun Valleys of Hampshire (England) means that their 350Mbps broadband and TV network will soon be able to reach c.4,000 premises across 12 small villages. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

A National Assembly Committee has published a report that makes 12 recommendations for how Wales (UK) could bring faster broadband to poorly served premises and improve Mobile (4G etc.) connectivity, such as making future subsidies for landowners conditional on them allowing mobile masts. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 3 Comments

Mobile operators O2, Three UK and Vodafone have warned that a recent decision by Ofcom, which prevented them from accessing Openreach’s (BT) existing cable ducts and telegraph poles in order to build new fibre optic backhaul links, could hinder the deployment of future ultrafast 5G Mobile services. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

The SNP controlled Scottish Government has this month set out their work programme for 2017-18, which among the known broadband promises (R100) has also pledged to deliver free WiFi “throughout major town and city centres” and to match the UK Government’s rates relief on new fibre investment. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 8 Comments

Mobile operator EE (BT) has formally lodged a legal appeal against the matter of Ofcom’s forthcoming 4G / 5G radio spectrum auction in the 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz bands. The aim is to stop Three UK’s own challenge from imposing a cap on their ability to bid for a slice of 3.4GHz band. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 6 Comments

A new study from business support firm Informi claims to have identified some of top 20 best cities and large towns in the United Kingdom to start a small business, with Ipswich (Suffolk) taking the top spot. Interestingly one of the key criteria is a strong level of access to “ultrafast broadband“. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 15 Comments

Openreach has today launched a new website, which includes a fair bit of updated information about the national telecoms and broadband network, as well as reflecting some of the independent branding requirements that were introduced as part of BT’s recent Strategic Review agreement with Ofcom. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

The UK telecoms regulator has today announced that they will introduce a series of changes to improve their consumer protection rules from 1st October 2018, which aim to tackle billing accuracy, debt collection, nuisance calls, complaints handling and support for those with disabilities. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 39 Comments

Israel-based Sckipio, which created some of the kit that Openreach (BT) piloted as part of their 330Mbps G.fast broadband roll-out, has promised “true 1Gbps speeds” by becoming one of the first to launch a chipset based off the ITU-T’s Amendment 3 (212MHz) profile. Plus there’s a 96-port DPU. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 0 Comments

Scottish train operator ScotRail has partnered up with Cisco, CGI, Network Rail Telecoms and Wittos to conduct a Proof of Concept trial to enable “super-fast” WiFi on trains (Project SWIFT), which could offer data speeds of up to 300Mbps (allegedly the “fastest in-train Wi-Fi service in the world“). Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 10 Comments

Internet provider Andrews & Arnold (AAISP) has attempted to spoof modern advertising practices and Sky Broadband’s recent offer of a 55Mbps “Minimum Speed Guarantee” by proposing to go one further with a 56Mbps guarantee. Naturally they’re quick to explain the caveats. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 11 Comments

The roll-out of “ultrafast” fibre optic broadband services using Gigabit capable FTTH/P/B technologies is continuing to ramp up in 2017, with our latest annual estimate of total premises passed across the United Kingdom reaching 1,084,500 (up from 780k in 2016) and this is set to surge. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 15 Comments

Internet provider Plusnet has “wholeheartedly” apologised to one of their broadband subscribers, who had contacted the ISP in the hope of getting his Direct Debit date changed but instead found his surname being substituted with the C-word (hint, it’s not cat) by a call centre worker. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 7 Comments

Telecoms operator BT has updated their technical document (SIN520) for the new 330Mbps G.fast hybrid fibre broadband technology to include the specific technical requirements for end-user modems, which is what Openreach and ISPs will supply to homes and businesses. Read More..

Author: Mark Jackson | 4 Comments

Over the past two years we’ve heard plenty of debate about the Government and BT’s proposed plan for a legally-binding 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation for broadband, although there’s been very little talk about KCOM’s position in Hull and East Yorkshire, where they dominate the local market. Read More..