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Latest Key Developments

Openreach 2023 Two FTTP Engineers on Doorstep

Openreach Add 10 New UK Locations to FTTP Broadband Rollout

2nd May, 2023 (76 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has today issued another update to their £15bn UK rollout of a new multi-Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network, which adds 10 new locations to their deployment plan – covering an additional 124,000 homes and businesses in places across England, Wales and Scotland.

Ofcom UK Test New Way to Detect and Block Spoofed Numbers

28th Apr, 2023 (13 Comments)

Ofcom has today begun seeking feedback from the industry on the potential future adoption of Calling Line Identification (CLI) authentication, which – once the UK has fully transitioned to digital landlines – could be adopted as a new approach to detecting and blocking “spoofed” (fake) phone numbers.

consumer complaint uk red triangle warning sign by 123rf

New Bill to Boost Consumer Protection on UK Broadband and Mobile

25th Apr, 2023 (6 Comments)

The Government will today introduce their new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill (DMCCB), which among other things also promises several new protection measures that could benefit customers of broadband ISPs and mobile operators (e.g. clearer contract information and making it easier to exit a contract).

Smart Data Council Looks to Tackle Broadband ISP Loyalty Penalties

17th Apr, 2023 (17 Comments)

The UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has today launched a new “Smart Data Council“, which aims to help cut consumer bills, such as by finding ways to make it easier for consumers and businesses to find the tariffs best suited to their needs, or reduce the “loyalty penalty” that customers face when switching providers.

OneWeb First Generation Satellite in Orbit

OneWeb and BT Confirmed for Rural UK Satellite Broadband Trial UPDATE

11th Apr, 2023 (7 Comments)

Earlier today the Government revealed (here) that they’d commit £8m to help deliver “high-speed broadband” (they didn’t clearly define this) via Satellite ISP solutions for up to 35,000 of the UK’s “most remote properties” (i.e. those unable to get gigabit-capable connections). We now know that this will involve OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network via partners BT and Clarus.

UK Set Ambition to Deliver Standalone 5G to All Populated Areas by 2030

11th Apr, 2023 (29 Comments)

The UK government (DSIT) has today announced that, as part of the new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy (WIS), they have set out an ambition to “blanket the country with the fastest, most reliable wireless coverage available” – with the plan being for “all populated areas to be covered by ‘standalone’ 5G (5G-plus) by 2030“. The update also includes support for satellite broadband in rural areas and more trials of flexi permits.

New Digital UK Map of Underground Cables Starts to Go Live

5th Apr, 2023 (21 Comments)

The Government’s new National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which is a digital UK map of underground pipes (water etc.) and cables (broadband, power etc.) that could help reduce accidental damage, has started to go live for several initial areas under its first deployment phase – covering North East England, Wales and London.

consumer switching uk broadband and phone

Frustration as Ofcom See Delay to Faster UK Broadband ISP Switching UPDATE5

3rd Apr, 2023 (12 Comments)

Consumers looking to change broadband providers in the UK will be unhappy to learn that the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has confirmed a delay to the introduction of their faster and more extensive One Touch Switch (OTS) migration system – possibly by 6 months or more – because ISPs are not yet ready to support it.

Ofcom Raise UK Automatic Compensation Payments for Broadband Woes

31st Mar, 2023 (8 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today increased the payment amounts issued to consumers under their automatic compensation system, which requires some home broadband ISPs to compensate customers (cash or bill credits) for internet connectivity mishaps and delivery delays.

CMA Clamps Down on Online UK Rip-offs and Misleading Prices

29th Mar, 2023 (7 Comments)

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today set out its “red lines” for businesses (including broadband and mobile providers) that make use of “price reduction” and “urgency claims” when selling their products and services to UK consumers. People are also being encouraged to report online rip-offs via a new form.

447,170 Premises in Scotland Need Help to Get Gigabit Broadband

23rd Mar, 2023 (8 Comments)

The Scottish Government has published a new Public Review (PR) consultation for Scotland, which reveals that some 447,170 premises might need state aid help under the UK Government’s £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme in order to access 1Gbps speeds (rising to 1,281,434 if including ‘Under Review‘ premises).

Ofcom UK Delay Start of Openreach FTTP Broadband Price Cuts UPDATE3

17th Mar, 2023 (96 Comments)

Ofcom has this morning announced that they will need “an additional two months” to undertake further analysis of Openreach’s “Equinox 2” discount scheme, which will delay the operator’s planned 1st April 2023 launch of cheaper wholesale prices on their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP products.

Parliament UK Building at Dusk in London 2021

Spring UK Budget 2023 – Full Expensing May Help FTTP and 5G Rollout UPDATE2

15th Mar, 2023 (12 Comments)

The Chancellor of the UK Government, Jeremy Hunt, has today announced the Spring 2023 Budget, which sadly made no mention of any extra support for gigabit broadband or 5G mobile deployments. But the new “full expensing” measure could help to bring down the cost of some related plant and machinery (capital expenses).

Ofcom UK Clamps Down on Misleading Uses of “Fibre” Broadband UPDATE2

8th Mar, 2023 (80 Comments)

Good news. The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today proposed new guidance that would only allow broadband ISPs to use the terms “fibre” and “full-fibre” on their websites and in contracts “if their network uses fibre-optic cables all the way from the exchange to the home” (i.e. FTTP).

Error message concept. Alert, attention notification. Important reminder

Steeper UK Fines for Nuisance Calls and Texts Inch Closer

8th Mar, 2023 (4 Comments)

The UK Government’s Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan MP, will today re-introduce the new Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (DPDI No.2) to parliament, which among other things will increase fines for nuisance calls and texts to be either up to 4% of global turnover or £17.5 million, whichever is greater.

Q4 2022 Openreach Progress Update on Wales FTTP Rollout

7th Mar, 2023 (10 Comments)

The Welsh Government (WG) has published a Q4 2022 progress update on their £52.5m Phase 2 Superfast Cymru contract with Openreach (BT), which reveals that a total of 35,770 extra premises (up from 34,122 in Q3) have now gained access to their gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network.

Winter 2023 Update on Project Gigabit UK Broadband Rollout

27th Feb, 2023 (13 Comments)

The Building Digital UK team has today published their latest quarterly Winter 2023 update on the Government’s £5bn rural Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme, which has so far awarded six contracts – worth £164.8m – and launched 14 further procurements with a combined estimated value of £906.7m.