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Latest Key Developments

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Gigabit Broadband Coverage Reaches 80 Percent of UK Homes

6th Dec, 2023 (18 Comments)

The latest independent data has revealed that a shade over 80% of “homes” across the United Kingdom can now access a gigabit-capable broadband ISP connection (1000Mbps+), which is up from just over 72% at the end of last year. The figure drops to 60% when only looking at Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology (up from 45%).

Capabilities of IMT-2030 for 6G Wireless and Mobile by ITU Dec 2023

ITU Sets Framework for Future 6G Mobile Broadband Standard

2nd Dec, 2023 (14 Comments)

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has today published the first framework for the future 6G mobile (mobile broadband) and wireless networking technology (IMT-2030), which will support the development of related standards and radio interface technologies. The framework also reveals more about its potential capabilities.

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Ofcom UK Tackle Consumer Harm Caused by Cash for Calls Schemes

1st Dec, 2023 (4 Comments)

The UK telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today launched a new consultation that looks set to tackle the risk of consumer harm from so-called “cash for calls” schemes. This will work by making clear that revenue sharing on certain phone number ranges (e.g. 084 and 087) will not be permitted.

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Ofcom Begins Review of UK Telecoms Complaints Handlers

29th Nov, 2023 (13 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today began a review to examine whether the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) providers, which are third-party ombudsman schemes that help consumers to resolve complaints with their phone providers, broadband ISPs and mobile operators, is working effectively.

Gigabit Broadband Contracts Awarded for Oxfordshire and Staffordshire UK UPDATE

25th Nov, 2023 (10 Comments)

The UK Government’s £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme has today announced two new contracts, which sees ISP Gigaclear awarded £26.5m to cover around 10,000 rural premises in North and South Oxfordshire. At the same time, Connect Fibre has scooped a £16.5m deal to cover 6,000 premises in North East Staffordshire.

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2023 Autumn Statement Boosts UK Full Fibre and 5G Builds – Full Expensing

22nd Nov, 2023 (12 Comments)

The Chancellor of the UK government, Jeremy Hunt, has today given his 2023 Autumn Statement, which among other things has announced that the new “Full Expensing” policy will be made permanent. The change will help some full fibre broadband and mobile operators to bring down the cost of their network roll-outs. Planning tweaks are also coming.

Ofcom UK Detail 5G Mobile Auction Plan for 26GHz and 40GHz

8th Nov, 2023 (9 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today set out the design of their planned auction for a large chunk of millimetre wave (mmW) radio spectrum frequency across the 26GHz and 40GHz bands, which is to be used by mobile network operators to deliver even faster 5G (mobile broadband) services – mostly across urban areas.

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Virgin Media O2 Linked Nexfibre Publish UK Full Fibre Rollout Plan

7th Nov, 2023 (40 Comments)

Network operator nexfibre, which holds a wholesale partnership with Virgin Media (VMO2) to deploy a new 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network across up to 7 million UK premises, has today published its first “nationwide rollout plan” for 2024 – listing the first large batch of planned locations.

Openreach Prep Alternative UK Analogue Style Phone Product

6th Nov, 2023 (44 Comments)

Openreach is developing an additional phone line product, which does NOT require a broadband connection to function and will be targetted at vulnerable and edge use cases (inc. CNI) users with old analogue phone lines (PSTN) who would otherwise “face challenges” in migrating to an All-IP (Internet Protocol) based solution by 2025.

Ofcom Finalises Softer UK Rules to Protect the Open Internet UPDATE

26th Oct, 2023 (19 Comments)

Ofcom has finalised their move to soften the Net Neutrality rules, which were originally established to prevent unfair blocking or slowing of access to legal websites and internet services by broadband ISPs and mobile operators. Providers will now gain more flexibility to create “premium” packages (e.g. better latency) and “specialised services“.

Project to Extend UK Rural 4G Mobile Cover Faces 2 Year Delay

23rd Oct, 2023 (23 Comments)

Mobile operators Three UK, O2 (VMO2) and Vodafone have reportedly warned the government that the first phase of their £1bn industry-led Shared Rural Network project, which aims to extend geographic 4G (mobile broadband) coverage (aggregate) to 95% of the UK by the end of 2025, is at risk of being delayed by 2 years.

Ofcom May Change How Spectrum is Allocated for UK Wireless Broadband Networks

18th Oct, 2023 (0 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today begun a discussion that could result in a change to how radio spectrum for the next generation of wireless broadband networks is allocated, which in the future may place greater emphasis on spectrum sharing (we’ve already seen a lot of this via private and local 5G networks etc.) and flexible access.

EE Becomes BT’s Main UK Broadband Brand – Launch 1.6Gb FTTP UPDATE

18th Oct, 2023 (93 Comments)

The big branding change continues. Some 18 months have passed since UK telecoms giant BT announced (here) that EE would – over time – gradually become their “flagship brand for our consumer customers” (i.e. converged broadband ISP and mobile plans etc.) and another shift begins today, alongside the launch of their 1.6Gbps package.

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Ofcom Predict 94 Percent of UK Covered by Gigabit Broadband in May 2026

17th Oct, 2023 (31 Comments)

Ofcom has today published the latest edition of their forecast for Planned Network Deployments, which predicts that the full fibre (FTTP) broadband ISP lines are on course to cover 91% (27 million premises) of all UK properties by May 2026 – rising to 94% for “gigabit-capable” networks (i.e. FTTP and Cable).

Gov to Review UK Rural Broadband Options and 10Mbps USO

2nd Oct, 2023 (24 Comments)

The UK Government has today launched two interesting new consultations, including one that is seeking views on a looming review of the legally-binding 10Mbps+ Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband and another that will help better understand how to improve broadband for “Very Hard to Reach” areas.

Eutelsat Complete Merger with UK Satellite Broadband Operator OneWeb

28th Sep, 2023 (2 Comments)

European satellite operator Eutelsat has today announced the completion of their all-share combination with London-based broadband satellite operator OneWeb, which had been partly owned by the UK Government but will now become a subsidiary of the Paris-based operator.

Ofcom UK Sets Plan to Auction 26GHz and 40GHz for Faster 5G Mobile

27th Sep, 2023 (7 Comments)

The UK media and telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today revealed more details about their proposed plan to auction off a large chunk of millimetre wave (mmW) radio spectrum frequency across the 26GHz and 40GHz bands, which will be used by mobile operators to deliver even faster 5G (mobile broadband) services in urban areas.