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Latest Key Developments

Virgin Media UK Launch 2Gbps Broadband and Symmetric Speeds UPDATE2

7th Feb, 2024 (109 Comments)

Broadband ISP Virgin Media (VMO2) has this morning announced that they’ve become the first “major” UK internet provider to publicly launch a residential 2Gbps broadband package (Gig2 Full Fibre). On top of that, they’re also introducing symmetrical download and upload speeds as an optional add-on. But initially only for nexfibre areas.

Connexin Win Gigabit Broadband Rollout for Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire

6th Feb, 2024 (2 Comments)

Network operator and UK ISP Connexin has today announced that they’ve secured a contract under the Government’s £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout programme, which will see them extend their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to 34,320 hard to reach premises in parts of Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire (Lot 10).

CityFibre Win Five Big UK Project Gigabit Broadband Contracts

6th Feb, 2024 (55 Comments)

CityFibre has today secured another five of the UK government’s Project Gigabit broadband rollout contracts, totalling over £394m. The deals will spread their full fibre (FTTP) ISP network to over 202,000 hard to reach premises across parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Sussex, Kent, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire & Milton Keynes.

EE Complete First Phase of Shared UK Rural 4G Mobile Upgrade

16th Jan, 2024 (5 Comments)

Broadband ISP and mobile operator EE (BT) has today announced that they’ve completed – six months ahead of schedule – the first phase of their roll-out under the £1bn industry-led Shared Rural Network (SRN) project, which aims to extend geographic 4G (mobile broadband) coverage (aggregate) to 95% of the UK by the end of 2025.

Government Confirms Gigabit Broadband Covers 80 Percent of UK

15th Jan, 2024 (21 Comments)

The Government has today confirmed that 80% of the United Kingdom now has access to a gigabit-capable broadband ISP network, which marks good progress on their way to achieving at least 85% coverage by 2025, and then “nationwide” (c.99%) coverage by 2030. But most of the progress so far has been fuelled by commercial builds.

A Look at UK Domain and IP Address Seizures in the Criminal Justice Bill

12th Jan, 2024 (16 Comments)

The new UK Criminal Justice Bill (CJB), which was first tabled in parliament toward the end of last year, includes a number of interesting new powers that can force Regional Internet Registries, Local Internet Registries or Internet Service Providers (ISP) to suspend internet domain names and IP addresses used for criminal purposes.

Major UK Home Phone Providers Commit to Protect Vulnerable Users

18th Dec, 2023 (26 Comments)

The UK government has this morning announced the signing of a new charter with major broadband ISPs and landline phone providers, including Sky Broadband, BT, Virgin Media (O2) and TalkTalk, which sets out “new measures” to protect vulnerable customers when upgrading phone lines to a new digital (IP / VoIP based) network.

Winter 2023 BDUK Update on UK Project Gigabit Broadband Rollout

15th Dec, 2023 (3 Comments)

The Building Digital UK agency has released their Winter 2023 (Dec) progress update on the £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme, which is so far running live contracts and procurements worth over £2bn in state aid to help extend coverage to an extra 1.1 million hard to reach premises.

network cables and fiber optic closeup with keyboard background

Connect Fibre Win Derbyshire UK Gigabit Broadband Rollout Contract

15th Dec, 2023 (1 Comment)

The UK Government’s £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme has today announced that they’ve awarded the regional £33m (state aid) rollout contract for Derbyshire (LOT 3) in England to ISP Connect Fibre, which will aim to extend their full fibre network to an additional 17,000+ premises in hard to reach rural areas.

UK Gov Confirm Scotland to Get £450m for Gigabit Broadband Upgrade

14th Dec, 2023 (5 Comments)

The UK Government has finally revealed that Scotland’s share of the £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme will be an “estimated” £450m, although market engagement work is ongoing (i.e. getting feedback from suppliers) and has yet to reach the procurement stage – this was originally supposed to happen in the autumn.

switch broadband ISP direction sign illustration

New UK Broadband ISP Switching System to be Delayed AGAIN

13th Dec, 2023 (21 Comments)

The industry-led One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo), which is responsible for implementing Ofcom’s already heavily delayed One Touch Switch (OTS) system for broadband ISPs and consumers who want to change provider, has today warned that their revised plan to introduce it from 14th March 2024 is “no longer achievable“.

New Ofcom UK Rules to STOP Misleading Use of “Fibre” Broadband UPDATE

13th Dec, 2023 (57 Comments)

The UK telecoms, media and internet content regulator, Ofcom, has today introduced new guidelines that will effectively only allow broadband ISPs to use terms like “fibre” and “full-fibre” on their websites, and in contracts, if their network brings fibre optic cables all the way to your home (i.e. FTTP / FTTH).

Ofcom UK BAN Some Mid-Contract Broadband and Mobile Price Hikes UPDATE6

12th Dec, 2023 (45 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has today published the outcome of their review into whether mid-contract price hikes that are linked to inflation give mobile and broadband ISP customers enough certainty and clarity about what they can expect to pay. Suffice to say, they’re effectively banning the practice.

hand with fiber network cables connected to servers in a datacenter by 123rf

Ofcom Consult on UK Telecoms Resilience and Battery Backup for Mobile Masts

8th Dec, 2023 (23 Comments)

Ofcom has today proposed to update their resilience guidance to provide greater clarity on how UK broadband ISPs, mobile operators and other digital network companies can “reduce the risk of network outages“. Separately, they’re also seeking feedback on the issue of inadequate power backup at mobile network sites.

Mobile Operators Sued for £3bn Due to UK Airtime Plan Overcharging

8th Dec, 2023 (13 Comments)

Mobile network operators including EE (BT), Vodafone, Three UK and O2 (VMO2) are facing a class action claim worth “at least” £3.285bn from consumer rights champion Justin Gutmann and the law firm Charles Lyndon, which accuses them of historically overcharging for mobile handsets beyond the end of their contractual term.

Broadband ISP Virgin Media O2 Promote Social Tariff to All UK Users

7th Dec, 2023 (13 Comments)

In somewhat of an industry first, Virgin Media (VMO2) has today announced that they’re launching a new awareness campaign for their cheaper broadband social tariffs, which will see the ISP contacting every one of their 5 million UK customers to make them aware of the option and offer to support those struggling with bills. O2 also plan a mobile social tariff.

2023 Openreach Female Engineer on FTTP Pole

Openreach List 142 New UK Locations for FTTP Broadband Build

7th Dec, 2023 (88 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today revealed the next batch of 142 new locations to benefit from their ongoing deployment of a new multi-Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network, which has just officially reached the half-way point by covering over 12.5 million UK premises.