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Latest Key Developments

New UK Home Building Rules Set to Mandate Gigabit Broadband

21st Dec, 2021 (17 Comments)

After a long wait, the UK Government has today finally tabled a consultation on changes to the existing Building Regulations (2010), which will effectively make it mandatory for property developers to ensure that almost every new home is built with support for “gigabit” speed broadband ISP connections.

Ofcom Bans UK Mobile Operators from Locking Phones

17th Dec, 2021 (29 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today begun to enforce a number of new consumer protection measures on mobile operators, which in practice means that they can no longer supply locked phones and are now limited to a maximum contract term of 24-months on bundles (mobile plans and handsets).

uk map broadband mobile isp computer network

Connected Nations 2021 – UK Gigabit Broadband Cover Hits 47%

16th Dec, 2021 (15 Comments)

Ofcom has released their Connection Nations 2021 UK digital infrastructure report, which reveals that the coverage of “gigabit-capable” (1Gbps+) broadband ISP networks has jumped from 27% last year to 47% now (13.7 million households). Plus, around half of UK properties are in areas where 5G mobile is available outside.

Parliamentary Committee Sets Out Plan for UK Internet Regulation

14th Dec, 2021 (24 Comments)

The Joint Committee on the controversial Draft Online Safety Bill (OSB), which was setup to help establish the regulatory framework to help Ofcom tackle “harmful” content online (e.g. hate speech, bullying, terrorism, conspiracy theories etc.), has today published its report. But the tougher rules and tighter offences may not all be workable.

Audit Office Casts Doubt Over Value of N.Ireland Broadband Contract UPDATE

14th Dec, 2021 (8 Comments)

The Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) has today raised concerns over the number of properties that will be covered by the £165m state aid supported Project Stratum rollout in Northern Ireland, which highlights that some premises may have been “commercially viable” for FTTP broadband delivery without subsidy.

Ofcom Reports Good UK Progress on Openreach’s Split from BT UPDATE

8th Dec, 2021 (8 Comments)

Ofcom has today published their annual monitoring report, which finds that Openreach continues to “operate with a high degree of strategic and operational independence” from BT and there has been positive progress in take-up of their Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product by rival broadband ISPs. Only a few small issues remain.

telecommunication tower a falling signal on the city 123rf

All Public 2G and 3G UK Mobile Services Switched Off by 2033

8th Dec, 2021 (37 Comments)

The Government has unveiled a new agreement with the four primary mobile network operators, including Vodafone, EE (BT), O2 (VMO2) and Three UK, which among other things will see existing 2G and 3G signals being “phased out” by 2033 (benefitting 4G / 5G services and mobile broadband) and a new target for OpenRAN adoption.

ISP Virgin Media O2 Completes UK Gigabit Broadband Rollout UPDATE

7th Dec, 2021 (61 Comments)

Broadband ISP Virgin Media (VMO2) has today switched-on their last batch of DOCSIS 3.1 network upgrades, which has put an additional 1.1 million homes within reach of “gigabit” download speeds (1130Mbps down and 52Mbps up) and means that c.65% of UK premises should now be covered by “gigabit-capable broadband.”

Government Turns Building Digital UK into Executive Agency

3rd Dec, 2021 (22 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) team, which is part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & and Sport (DCMS) and has responsibility for delivering broadband networks across the nation (e.g. the £5bn Project Gigabit rollout scheme), is to become an Executive Agency from April 2022.

Scotland Extends Interim Rural Broadband Voucher Scheme

1st Dec, 2021 (5 Comments)

The Scottish Government has announced that their Interim Broadband Voucher Scheme, which forms part of the £600m Reaching 100% (R100) project and is designed to help rural premises in the hardest to reach areas get a faster connection installed, has been extended to 31st March 2022 (it was previously due to finish this month).

Works to lay new paving slabs and temporary footpath closed red warning sign on London sidewalk

New UK Law Set to Boost Broadband Rollouts and Device Security

24th Nov, 2021 (4 Comments)

The UK Government has today introduced their new Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill (PSTI), which among other things will make it easier for broadband and mobile operators to upgrade and share infrastructure. The bill will also aim to ensure that internet connected devices are more secure.

Project-Gigabit-UK-Gov-Investment-Scheme-2025

Gov Targets Universal UK Gigabit Broadband Coverage for 2030

20th Nov, 2021 (49 Comments)

The UK Government’s £5bn Project Gigabit rollout programme appears to have quietly confirmed that they now aim to deliver “full” 1Gbps broadband coverage to the final 20% of hardest to reach premises by 2030 (effectively universal coverage), at least where it is “value for money to do so.”

openreach uk phone exchange engineer 2021

Openreach to Pilot National UK Exchange Closure Plan in 5 Areas

12th Nov, 2021 (14 Comments)

Last year Openreach (BT) began consulting on their plans to close 4,600 exchanges across the United Kingdom as part of their move from copper to fibre optic based broadband ISP lines. The operator has today begun to consult on the first 5 pilot exchanges to go through this new mass-migration process.

Ofcom and BT Adopt Changes to Help 10Mbps Broadband USO

11th Nov, 2021 (33 Comments)

Ofcom has today finalised the changes that were first confirmed in July to improve how BT handles delivery of the UK’s Universal Service Obligation (USO), which aims to bring faster broadband ISP speeds to those who can’t yet receive a 10Mbps+ capable download speed and aren’t planned to do so in the near future.

Fiber Optic cables connected to an optic ports and Network cables connected to ethernet ports

Headaches for UK ISPs as Telecoms Security Bill to Become Law

9th Nov, 2021 (15 Comments)

The UK Government’s new Telecommunications (Security) Bill (TSB) is set to become law after passing through both houses of parliament this month, but it goes much further than just banning Huawei from the UK’s 5G mobile networks. Broadband ISPs, both big and small alike, also face a cacophony of tedious new rules.

Ofcom UK Expands the Range of Indoor Mobile Signal Boosters

4th Nov, 2021 (5 Comments)

Ofcom has today confirmed that they will next year introduce new changes to help expand the range of licence exempt “mobile phone repeaters” for UK consumers to adopt, which can be used in locations where people want to boost mobile signals for indoor and in-vehicle (low gain) use.

CityFibre Hits Target of 1 Million UK FTTP Broadband Premises

3rd Nov, 2021 (27 Comments)

CityFibre, which is investing £4bn to cover 8 million UK premises with their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network by around the end of 2025, has today announced the successful completion of their first target by extending the network to cover 1 million homes and businesses before the end of 2021.