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Latest Key Developments

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Virgin Media may harness Openreach’s full fibre to extend UK broadband reach

30th Oct, 2026 (55 Comments)

In a surprising development, it’s being reported that Virgin Media (O2) are allegedly close to reaching a deal that would enable them to extend their UK broadband coverage by harnessing Openreach’s (BT) national Full Fibre (FTTP) network for new customers, albeit only in areas they don’t yet serve with their own fibre. But Virgin’s existing FTTP upgrade scheme would stop.

Ofcom set out KCOM changes to boost competition and broadband in Hull UK

27th Oct, 2026 (8 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today set out their final decisions for how they intend to regulate the fixed telecoms markets that underpin gigabit broadband, mobile networks and business connections in the Hull Area of East Yorkshire (England) – reflecting c.198,000 premises, which remains dominated by KCOM’s local network.

Big Ben, London Westminster Bridge and Houses of Parliament - 123rf

Culture Secretary pushes for statutory UK broadband supplier of last resort

27th Oct, 2026 (10 Comments)

The UK Government’s Secretary of State for Digital and Culture (DCMS), Lisa Nandy MP, has pushed for the Enterprise Act 2002 to be updated to add a statutory Supplier of Last Resort (SoLR) process for telecoms providers (broadband and mobile). The move follows Nandy’s 11th hour intervention to wave through TalkTalk’s controversial sale to BT via a public interest exemption.

Subsea fibre optic cable for MJackson by Copilot_20260915

Govt sets out new UK rules to protect subsea internet cables from sabotage

22nd Oct, 2026 (6 Comments)

The UK Government (DCMS) has today published a new White Paper, which sets out their final proposals for a new criminal penalties regime (i.e. bigger fines and longer prison sentences), as well as new telecoms infrastructure security and resilience duties, to help tackle those who damage critial subsea infrastructure (CUI) essential for UK broadband access and trade.

Openreach publish October 2026 update on UK full fibre broadband build

20th Oct, 2026 (18 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has today published the first update to their national roll-out plan for Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP technology since March 2026, which reflects all the recent changes and progress with their existing deployment locations up to October 2026 (i.e. changes in status, removals and any small additions).

Netomnia Engineers Working at Height 2026

Nexfibre and Virgin Media O2’s £2bn Netomnia UK broadband deal in trouble UPDATE2

20th Oct, 2026 (79 Comments)

Full fibre network operator nexfibre has today issued a joint statement with shareholders InfraVia, Liberty Global (Virgin Media) and Telefónica (O2) to confirm that they do not plan to submit any remedies to the Competition and Markets Authority over their £2bn acquisition of Netomnia (Substantial Group). The move comes after the CMA found significant competition concerns.

Ofcom reveals worst UK local authority areas for mobile broadband performance

16th Oct, 2026 (6 Comments)

The communications and media regulator, Ofcom, has today published their 2026 Mobile Matters report, which uses Opensignal’s crowdsourced data (collected between Aug 2025 and July 2026) to benchmark the performance of UK mobile broadband networks by both technology (2G to 5G), nation and operator choice – including Three UK, O2, Vodafone and EE.

London Big Ben Over Thames by MJackson - IMG20250111113401

Mayor of London reveals city’s weak spots via new map of mobile network cover

15th Oct, 2026 (3 Comments)

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today published a new report and map to help show where 4G and 5G mobile (mobile broadband) networks are falling short. In addition, the mayor proposes ten “practical steps” via a new framework that boroughs can take to support improvements.

Openreach New 2025 Nokia ONT FTTP Broadband

Openreach to test customer self-install ONTs on UK FTTP broadband lines UPDATE

14th Oct, 2026 (44 Comments)

In a potentially quite significant development. ISPreview has learnt that network operator Openreach (BT) are tentatively proposing to conduct a new Proof of Concept (PoC) trial, which in certain situations would allow end-customers to install their own Optical Network Terminal (ONT) on FTTP broadband lines and to also connect the PSU (power supply).

Scotland set to close Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme in Nov 2026

12th Oct, 2026 (3 Comments)

The Scottish Government (SG) has announced that, following a “review of market conditions“, they will close their own Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) to new applications on 20th November 2026. The move comes shortly after the UK Government closed their own voucher scheme (GBVS) to new projects last month.

Telecoms giant BT acquires UK broadband ISP TalkTalk and wholesale biz PXC UPDATE5

5th Oct, 2026 (123 Comments)

The incredibly confusing twists and turns of the debt-ridden TalkTalk Group’s attempts to dispose of both their consumer broadband ISP business and their PXC (PlatformX Communications) wholesale business has finally reached a conclusion today. BT have agreed to acquire both businesses from administration.

Netomnia Network-Installation in Street 2026

CMA raise competition fears over nexfibre’s £2bn Netomnia UK broadband deal

2nd Oct, 2026 (45 Comments)

The Competition and Markets Authority has published its preliminary findings for their fast-tracked Phase 2 investigation into the £2bn acquisition of full fibre broadband network Netomnia (Substantial Group) by the parents of nexfibre and Virgin Media (O2). Overall the CMA found the deal would result in a “substantial lessening of competition (SLC) in the wholesale supply of fixed broadband services.”

Ofcom set precedent by banning price cut on Openreach’s UK broadband lines UPDATE2

28th Sep, 2026 (14 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today confirmed that they will proceed to block one of the broadband price cuts that Openreach recently proposed to introduce on their full fibre (FTTP) lines for internet providers (ISP), which was intended to help them stay competitive with rival networks and attract new customers.

Openreach confirm post-January 2027 measures for UK analogue phone switch-off UPDATE2

24th Sep, 2026 (14 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today outlined the next stage of their closure preparation for the old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which helps to confirm the plan and service pricing that will occur for consumers that fail to migrate to a modern IP-based digital line alternative by the early 2027 closure deadline.

Government publish Q2 2026 UK gigabit broadband rollout progress report

17th Sep, 2026 (1 Comment)

The Government’s Building Digital UK agency has published their calendar Q2 2026 progress report on their publicly subsidised gigabit broadband rollout schemes. The data reveals that some 1,462,910 premises have received coverage under BDUK’s gigabit programmes since their inception (up from 1.42m in March 2026), including 46,300 premises over the past quarter.

Ofcom launch Consumer Hub with money saving tips for UK broadband, mobile and TV users

12th Sep, 2026 (10 Comments)

The UK telecoms, media and internet content regulator, Ofcom, has today launched a new Consumer Hub that is said to feature “practical money-saving tips and tools” for every mobile, fixed broadband and pay-TV customer. The launch comes as new research claims that many out-of-contract customers who bundle services from the same provider could save over £100 a year by switching.

Houses of Parliament in London by Mark Jackson of ISPreview 100926

Public Accounts Committee call for stronger regulation of UK broadband

11th Sep, 2026 (4 Comments)

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is responsible for examining the value for money of UK Government projects, is this morning expected to find that water, energy and broadband regulators (e.g. Ofcom) are not doing enough to support vulnerable customers, and will call on them to act more urgently to ensure people get the standard of service they deserve.