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Latest Key Developments

Openreach Unveil 36 New UK Areas for FTTP Ultrafast Broadband

31st July, 2019 (59 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today announced that their multi-billion pound “Fibre First” rollout of Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP technology will – over the next 12 months – be reaching parts of an additional 36 new locations across the UK (total now 74).

Northern Ireland’s £165m Broadband Plan to Help 98000 Premises

25th July, 2019 (11 Comments)

The Department for the Economy (DfE) in Northern Ireland has finally begun the procurement phase for Project Stratum, which reflects its plan to invest £165 million in order to ensure that most of the 98,000 premises still awaiting access to “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) ISP networks can get it.

Ofcom Opens UK Radio Spectrum for Smaller Local Wireless Networks

25th July, 2019 (2 Comments)

As expected Ofcom has today unveiled a new new sharing framework that will be applied for four of the United Kingdom’s radio spectrum frequency bands (airwaves), which should make it possible for smaller mobile and fixed wireless broadband ISP networks to be created in order to deliver local coverage or industrial use.

O2 UK Sets October 2019 Rollout for Ultrafast 5G Mobile Broadband

25th July, 2019 (1 Comment)

Mobile operator O2 (Telefonica) has today confirmed that their next generation ultrafast 5G (mobile broadband) network will join EE, Vodafone and Three UK by beginning its commercial rollout in October 2019. The aim being to go live in 20 towns and cities this year and a total of 50 by Summer 2020.

Virgin Media UK Rollout 1Gbps Broadband for All on Network by 2021

25th July, 2019 (37 Comments)

Cable ISP Virgin Media (Liberty Global) has pounced on Boris Johnson’s appointment to the role of UK Prime Minister by revealing that it will make broadband download speeds of at least 1Gbps (1000Mbps) available to all 15 million premises on their network by 2021, which is thanks to their long-awaited DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade.

Openreach Cuts UK ISP Wholesale Prices for FTTP Ultrafast Broadband

22nd July, 2019 (36 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has today announced that they’re cutting the wholesale prices of their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) ultrafast broadband lines from 1st September 2019, which is intended to help encourage take-up of the new service by ISPs (provided Ofcom approve their proposed changes, which they probably will).

Ofcom Pushes Fair Pricing on UK Mobile and Handset Bundles

22nd July, 2019 (8 Comments)

The UK communications and media (broadband, mobile, TV etc.) regulator has today set out a range of new measures that are intended to tackle bundles of both mobile handsets and tariffs (airtime contracts) together, which often continue to charge consumers for the handset even once the minimum contract term has ended.

Fibre ISPs Take Note – UK Consults on New EU Electronic Comms Code

19th July, 2019 (0 Comments)

The Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has begun consulting on its plan to implement the new European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) into UK law, which includes new provisions that are intended to boost the rollout of Gigabit speed “full fibre” (FTTP) broadband and 5G mobile networks.

Cityfibre Confirm 14 UK Towns and Cities for Phase 2 FTTH Rollout

19th July, 2019 (21 Comments)

Cityfibre has today confirmed the next 14 UK cities and towns (only three are new additions) to benefit from Phase Two their £2.5bn rollout of a new Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband network, which is being supported by residential ISP partner Vodafone and aims to cover 5 million premises by 2025.

Ofcom Toughens UK Phone Number Porting to Prevent Abuse

8th July, 2019 (5 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today introduced new protections, which are designed to make it harder for dodgy fixed broadband ISPs and phone providers to block or hinder consumers from being able to port their telephone numbers to a different provider.

Vodafone UK Give 5G Launch a Boost by Adding Unlimited Data

3rd July, 2019 (35 Comments)

ISP Vodafone has today gone live in 7 UK cities with their new 5G based ultrafast mobile broadband network. At the same time they’ve moved to challenge Three UK by introducing a new range of SIM-only and handset plans with “unlimited data” (also on 4G services). A new home broadband (FTTC) and mobile bundle is coming too.

Ofcom – From Monday Text PAC to 65075 to Switch UK Mobile Operators

28th June, 2019 (36 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today braced the industry for the introduction of their new “Text-to-Switch” (Auto-Switching) system for UK mobile operators like Vodafone, O2, Three UK and EE, which is going live on Monday next week. The new system will make it easier and quicker for consumers to change networks.

Gov to Give CMA Power to Fine UK Broadband ISPs for Loyalty Penalty UPDATE

18th June, 2019 (3 Comments)

The UK Government has proposed to beef up the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) so that it can “decide for itself whether consumer protection law has been broken” and impose fines for “wrongdoing,” such when potentially unfair pricing is applied to vulnerable customers (“loyalty penalty“).

Openreach to Trial FTTP Exchange Upgrade Process and Digital Voice

18th June, 2019 (20 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has announced two new UK technology trials (i.e. an FTTP Exchange Upgrade process and Digital Voice services) for premises in Salisbury (Wiltshire) and Mildenhall (Suffolk), which forms part of their wider efforts to move toward an All-IP and national “full fibre” broadband ISP network.

Ofcom to Tackle Unfair and Harmful Practices by UK Broadband ISPs

17th June, 2019 (11 Comments)

The national UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today begun a new consultation that seeks views on their plans to create a new Fairness Framework (guidelines), which will be designed to explain to broadband, phone and TV providers how they will consider whether their practices and the way they treat their customers is fair.

UK Ranks 5th in 2019 EU Broadband Connectivity Progress Study

11th June, 2019 (7 Comments)

The European Commission has published their 2019 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which uses data from 2018 to reveal how the UK’s fixed line broadband and mobile networks compare with the rest of the EU. This year we jumped in overall rank from 6th to 5th out of 28 countries but are only 10th for connectivity.

Ofcom Set March 2020 Launch for 10Mbps UK Broadband USO

6th June, 2019 (46 Comments)

The national telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today confirmed the final details for how the new 10Mbps+ (1Mbps upload) Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband – to be supplied by ISPs BT and KCOM – will be delivered and work once it’s introduced from 20th March 2020.