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Latest Key Developments

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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.

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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.

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Ofcom Approve Satellite Networks to Deliver 4G and 5G to UK Smartphones

9th Dec, 2025 (11 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today approved UK mobile companies and satellite operators to join forces and use the airwaves (mobile spectrum bands) to support Direct to Device (D2D) services, which will allow standard unmodified Smartphones to connect via satellites to improve 4G and 5G (calls, texts and broadband) coverage in remote areas and roaming.

Virgin Media UK Fined £23.8m Over Poorly Handled Digital Phone Migrations

1st Dec, 2025 (20 Comments)

Broadband ISP and phone provider Virgin Media (O2) has today been hit with a £23.8 million fine by telecoms regulator Ofcom, which occurred after they were found to have “failed to protect vulnerable telecare customers” during their programme to migrate them from analogue phone services to IP-based digital landlines.

Concern as UK Broadband ISP Brsk Hit by Major Customer Data Breach

27th Nov, 2025 (31 Comments)

Alternative broadband ISP Brsk, which last year merged with Netomnia’s growing multi-gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network (here), has reportedly been hit by a major data breach that is claimed to have resulted in 230,105 customer records being exposed to hackers. The database has since been put up for sale.

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Openreach Reveal UK Pilot Pricing for 3.3Gbps FTTP Home Broadband Tier

27th Nov, 2025 (48 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has this afternoon revealed the first pricing for their forthcoming pilot of XGS-PON based Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP lines, which is due to get underway in March 2026. But for now they’re only revealing how much they’ll charge for the 3.3Gbps (3300Mbps) tier.

Openreach Officially Closes First Legacy UK Exchange – Deddington

26th Nov, 2025 (20 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today confirmed that the first of their pilot programme of old exchange closures – Deddington (pictured) – has finally shut its doors and slightly ahead of schedule. The move also means that Deddington is the first UK location to see the closure of BT’s copper based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

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Ofcom – Gigabit Broadband Covers 87 Percent of UK as 5G Hits 97 Percent

19th Nov, 2025 (10 Comments)

Ofcom has today released their Connection Nations 2025 digital infrastructure report earlier than usual, which reveals that residential gigabit-capable broadband ISP networks now cover 87% of the UK (up from 84% in 2024), while outdoor 5G coverage from at least one mobile operator is available to 97% of premises (up from 95%). But rural cover remains weaker.

House of Lords Report Calls for UK Broadband Investment to Boost Home Working

17th Nov, 2025 (7 Comments)

The cross-party Home-based Working Committee (Lords Select Committee) has published its report on remote and hybrid working in the UK, which among other things finds that the government should “increase long-term investment in digital infrastructure, particularly broadband” in order to properly support such working.

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Ofcom Consult on Impact of Openreach PIA on the UK Leased Line Market UPDATE

17th Nov, 2025 (2 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today opened a “narrow consultation” that proposes to amend their leased line access (LLA) market analysis for the ongoing Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR) to reflect a “greater potential impact” from Openreach’s Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product (this allows rivals to run new fibre via existing cable ducts and poles).

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Openreach Raises Prices on Copper Lines to Boost UK Fibre Broadband Adoption

12th Nov, 2025 (30 Comments)

Openreach has today announced above inflation price hikes on some of their older copper-based line products for UK internet and phone providers, which are designed to “encourage” comms providers to upgrade their customers to “digital alternatives” and full fibre (FTTP) technology; before legacy services are switched off in January 2027.

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Ofcom Predict 97 Percent of UK Covered by Gigabit Broadband in Jan 2028

8th Nov, 2025 (9 Comments)

Somehow, we overlooked that the telecoms regulator had published the fourth edition of their forecast for Planned Network Deployments, which has revised down its expectations of future coverage after UK broadband operators did the same. The report now predicts that full fibre (FTTP) lines will reach 86-95% of homes by January 2028 – rising to 91-97% for gigabit-capable networks (i.e. FTTP and Cable).

Major UK Phone Providers Agree to Crackdown on Scam Calls and Fraud

5th Nov, 2025 (12 Comments)

A new landmark Telecommunications Charter has today been agreed between several of the UK’s leading broadband, mobile and phone providers, which commits BT (EE), Virgin Media (O2), VodafoneThree, Tesco Mobile, TalkTalk, Sky (Sky Broadband) and the Comms Council UK to a “crack down on scam calls and fraud“. A sub-charter also exists for B2B phone services.

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Gov Push Ofcom to Tackle Mid Contract UK Broadband and Mobile Price Hikes

4th Nov, 2025 (27 Comments)

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Liz Kendall, has now joined the chorus of displeasure at O2’s recent decision (here) to increase their annual mid-contract price rises beyond what customers agreed when they signed-up. In response, the minister has directed Ofcom’s CEO, Dame Melanie Dawes, to “look at in-contract price rises again“.