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Latest Key Developments

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Broadband Altnets See Encouragement in UK Gov’s Statement of Strategic Priorities

12th Feb, 2026 (1 Comment)

The Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA), which represents many of the UK’s alternative broadband networks, has today welcomed the Government’s publication this week of their proposed Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP) for telecommunications – suggesting it aligns with their perspective on the market and future policy desires.

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Wildanet Withdraws from Project Gigabit Broadband Rollouts for Cornwall UK

12th Feb, 2026 (18 Comments)

Alternative broadband provider Wildanet, which has built a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across rural parts of Cornwall and Devon in South West England, has today become the latest altnet to withdraw from some of the Government’s publicly funded Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contracts, this time in Cornwall.

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Rural UK Broadband Network Truespeed Merges with Freedom Fibre

11th Feb, 2026 (2 Comments)

Aviva-backed alternative gigabit broadband operator Truespeed, which has rolled out their full fibre (FTTP) network across 177,000 premises (44k customers) in rural parts of South West England, has today confirmed that they’ve reached a major merger agreement with Freedom Fibre to consolidate their two networks.

Major UK Broadband ISPs Sign Gov Charter to Stop Unexpected Bill Increases

11th Feb, 2026 (19 Comments)

The Government has managed to get some of the UK’s biggest broadband and phone providers, including BT, Virgin Media (O2), VodafoneThree (Vodafone and Three UK), Sky (Sky Broadband) and TalkTalk, to sign-up to a new Telecoms Consumer Charter that pledges to “stop unexpected bill increases“. But sadly, it’s not an end to mid-contract prices hikes.

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Government Launch Review of UK Mobile Network Market to Help Boost 5G

10th Feb, 2026 (0 Comments)

The UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has today opened a call for evidence to support their new ‘Mobile Market Review‘, which aims to ensure that their policy and regulatory frameworks are updated to support investment, innovation, competition and consumers. The review could help to boost the rollout of fast 5G and future 6G mobile broadband networks.

Scotland Restart Gigabit Broadband Rollout Tender for Fife, Perth and Kinross

10th Feb, 2026 (0 Comments)

The Scottish Government (SG) has officially relaunched their proposed gigabit broadband roll-out procurement for Fife, Perth and Kinross. The proposed contract is valued at £28,557,891 excluding VAT and aims to help expand such a network to cover an estimated total number of 17,830 premises in hard-to-reach areas (i.e. those not covered by any other gigabit networks).

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Gov to Streamline England’s Building Controls for Fibre Broadband and Mobile UPDATE3

28th Jan, 2026 (1 Comment)

The Government appears to have responded to recent concerns over the Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) approval processes, which are known to have been causing delays and increased costs for broadband and mobile operators trying to deploy new digital infrastructure into large buildings (MDUs etc.). But a new consultation is proposing changes that may address some of the issues.

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Openreach Publish UK Pilot Pricing for FTTP Broadband Speeds to 8500Mbps UPDATE

22nd Jan, 2026 (82 Comments)

National network operator Openreach (BT) has this afternoon published pricing details for their forthcoming pilot of XGS-PON based Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) home broadband ISP lines, which now includes the 5.5Gbps (550Mbps upload) and 8.5Gbps (850Mbps upload) tiers. The launch date for the pilot has also been put back slightly from 1st to 23rd March 2026.

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Openreach Expands Scotland’s Project Gigabit Broadband Rollout Contract UPDATE

21st Jan, 2026 (4 Comments)

The UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has issued a contract modification notice for Openreach’s £157m (public subsidy) Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract in Scotland (Call off 6), which originally aimed to reach 65,070 premises in remote rural areas. But the change means it will now be expanded to tackle 77,639 premises.

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Ofcom Tell Internet Connect TV Platforms to Make UK PSB Content More Prominent

14th Jan, 2026 (20 Comments)

The UK telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today launched a new consultation that sets out their plan to introduce a new code for designated connected TV platforms (e.g. Freely, Android TV, Roku OS, Sky Stream, Virgin Media Horizon etc.), which will require them to ensure that content and services (e.g. iPlayer) from Public Service Broadcasters’ (PSBs) are made “prominent” on their services.

Ofcom Proceed with Proposal to Share Upper 6GHz Band for UK Mobile and WiFi

9th Jan, 2026 (3 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has this morning confirmed that the United Kingdom will become the “first country in Europe” to adopt a proposal that allows low power indoor WiFi signals and outdoor mobile broadband (4G, 5G etc.) networks to “share” access to the Upper 6GHz radio spectrum band (6425 to 7125MHz).

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Cross Party Report Calls for Breaking Monopolies and Tougher Ofcom to Boost UK Broadband

7th Jan, 2026 (9 Comments)

A new report from the Digital Communities All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has warning that the “ongoing lack” of mobile (4G/5G) and broadband coverage in parts of the country (urban, rural and coastal) are “undermining national ambitions“. The solution, they suggest, could be found in planning reform, breaking down monopolies, stronger regulatory scrutiny by Ofcom and more strategic investment.

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Gov Consult on Reform of UK Planning Rules to Boost Broadband and 5G Builds

18th Dec, 2025 (5 Comments)

The Government has today published a new consultation on reforming planning rules, which is seeking feedback on whether they should further change planning rules and update policy guidance to help “accelerate the deployment” of digital infrastructure (full fibre broadband and 5G mobile etc.).

Ofcom Publish Telecoms and Broadband Proposals for Hull UK and KCOM UPDATE2

18th Dec, 2025 (7 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today published the results of their Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR) for the Hull-area of East Yorkshire, which sets out how they intend to promote competition and investment in gigabit broadband (inc. business connectivity) across an area of c.198,000 premises that was previously totally dominated by KCOM’s network.

Fibrus Win Project Gigabit Broadband Contract for 9,000 N.Ireland Premises

16th Dec, 2025 (2 Comments)

The Northern Irish Department for the Economy (DfE) has today announced that they’ve awarded the £34.6m (public subsidy) Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract to alternative network ISP Fibrus, which will be tasked with extending their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to reach 9,000 of the hardest to reach rural homes and businesses.

Gov to Give UK Leaseholders Right to Request Gigabit Broadband in Flats UPDATE2

15th Dec, 2025 (20 Comments)

The Government has today published a new consultation on measures that aim to create a new right for leaseholders, such as those living in blocks of flats / apartments (Multi-Dwelling Units), to request a gigabit broadband connection. In addition, freeholders will face a new duty not to “unreasonably refuse” such requests from tenants. But finding the right balance will be difficult.

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Lords Report Warns Delays in Building Safety Process Hurting UK Broadband Upgrade

11th Dec, 2025 (3 Comments)

A new report from the cross-party House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has warned that “unacceptable” delays caused by the Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) approval processes are leaving residents waiting for remediation of dangerous cladding in unsafe buildings, causing increased costs for leaseholders and also impacting the roll-out of new digital infrastructure.