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Latest Key Developments

ISP BT and OneWeb UK Sign Satellite Broadband Distribution Deal

2nd Nov, 2021 (8 Comments)

UK ISP BT and satellite operator OneWeb, which is partly owned by the UK government, have today officially signed a Distribution Partner Agreement that could result in faster low-latency backhaul and broadband solutions for businesses. Further down the line, it may also help to cover rural homes by fuelling Fixed Wireless Access.

BDUK Publish New Evaluation of UK Superfast Broadband Project

29th Oct, 2021 (5 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK team has today posted a new evaluation of the previous Superfast Broadband Programme (SFBB), which helped to boost the coverage of “superfast” (24-30Mbps+) ISP networks from c.76% (commercial) to around 97% of premises (i.e. an additional 5.5 million premises) across three phases.

BDUK Publish Phase 3 of UK Rural Gigabit Broadband Rollout Plan

29th Oct, 2021 (21 Comments)

The UK Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) team has today published details on Phase 3 of their £5bn Project Gigabit rollout programme, which will in this phase work to extend 1Gbps capable broadband ISP networks to a further 570,000 premises in rural and semi-rural areas.

Ofcom Adds Dark Fibre and Tweaks Rules for KCOM in Hull UK

28th Oct, 2021 (10 Comments)

Ofcom has today published the outcome of their latest Hull Area Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review 2021-26, which tends to largely influence what rules they set for KCOM’s dominant network in the Hull (East Yorkshire) area. The main changes this time reflect deregulation and a new Dark Fibre requirement.

Ofcom Tell UK Phone Operators to Block Foreign VoIP Scam Calls UPDATE

25th Oct, 2021 (23 Comments)

The UK telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, has reportedly taken radical action to curb the plague of scam calls, which it is attempting to achieve by “ordering” major phone operators to automatically block any “suspicious” Voice-over-Internet (VoIP) calls that come from abroad if they pretend to come from numbers in the UK.

Project Gigabit Expands Open Market Review for Phase 2 Areas

20th Oct, 2021 (7 Comments)

The Broadband Delivery UK team have today launched a second batch of Open Market Reviews (OMR) for additional parts of England covered by Phase 2 of the Government’s new £5bn Project Gigabit broadband roll-out. This aims to identify any existing or planned commercial coverage by gigabit ISP networks.

Gov Consults on UK’s Future Wireless Spectrum and 6G Needs

14th Oct, 2021 (12 Comments)

A new ‘Call for Evidence‘ is being launched by the Government today, which aims to inform their future Wireless Infrastructure Strategy (WIS). This attempts to understand the future wireless connectivity needs of the UK and how they can better support 5G mobile, as well as future satellite, IoT and 6G broadband technologies.

Rivals Sigh as Ofcom Clear Openreach FTTP Broadband Price Cut UPDATE3

30th Sep, 2021 (50 Comments)

Ofcom looks set to stoke anger among alternative UK network (AltNets) builders after the regulator today flatly rejected their concerns over Openreach’s “Equinox” offer, which will introduce a “major” price cut (details) to the incumbents wholesale Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband products for ISPs.

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Ofcom Finalise One Touch Switching for UK Broadband and Phone UPDATE

28th Sep, 2021 (5 Comments)

Ofcom has today decided to adopt the new ‘One Touch Switch‘ (OTS) process for customers of fixed line phone and broadband ISPs, which will make it easier for you to switch between providers on physically separate networks (e.g. Openreach’s full fibre to CityFibre or Virgin Media etc.). But you’ll have to wait until April 2023 to use it!

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CityFibre Secure GBP1.1bn to Fuel UK FTTP Broadband Rollout

16th Sep, 2021 (6 Comments)

CityFibre, which currently aims 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 secured another major investment boost of £1.125bn from the owner of Ikea (Interogo Holdings) and Mubadala (Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund).

smartphone with incoming call from unknown person

Gov Proposes Tougher UK Penalties for Nuisance Calls and Texts

9th Sep, 2021 (14 Comments)

The UK Government has today announced that their planned data reform, which covers a multitude of areas (many of which are outside our focus), will also set out plans to impose tougher penalties and fines for nuisance calls and text (SMS) messages. But it’s unclear how much impact this will actually have.

Gov Starts GBP4m Trial to Build 5G via More UK Street Furniture

9th Sep, 2021 (3 Comments)

The UK Government has today invested £4m to support a new 2-year project (DCIA) trial, which aims to make it easier for network operators to access and deploy 5G mobile (mobile broadband) infrastructure on street furniture and public buildings, such as CCTV poles, traffic lights, lampposts, bus shelters and so forth.

Gov Start Build of Project to Map UK Underground Cables and Pipes UPDATE

9th Sep, 2021 (7 Comments)

The UK Government has announced that their project to create a National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which reflects a digital map of underground pipes (water etc.) and cables (fibre optic broadband, power etc.), is entering the “Build Phase” and could help to cut some of the £2.4bn (per year) cost of accidental utility damage.

Ofcom Begin New Review of UK Net Neutrality Rules Post Brexit UPDATE

7th Sep, 2021 (22 Comments)

The national telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today started a review of their existing Net Neutrality rules, which were designed to ensure no serious blocking or slowing of access to legal websites or internet services by broadband ISPs and mobile operators. But such protections may soon change.

Openreach Waive UK Broadband Install Fees for Low-Income Homes

7th Sep, 2021 (3 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has announced the launch of a new “Connect the Unconnected” offer, which will make it possible for UK ISPs to waive “superfast broadband connection fees” for any customers who receive ‘Universal Credit’ with no other earnings, and who aren’t currently connected to its network.

Progress Update on North Scotland’s R100 Broadband Rollout UPDATE

3rd Sep, 2021 (14 Comments)

The Scottish Government has today issued a progress update on their £600m Reaching 100% (R100) programme with Openreach (BT), which provides more detail on their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) dominated plan for extending “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) across the LOT 1 area – North Scotland and the Highlands.

Welsh Gov Consults on Gigabit Broadband Coverage in Wales

24th Aug, 2021 (1 Comment)

The Welsh Government has today launched a new Open Market Review (OMR) for Wales, which aims to identify any existing or planned commercial coverage of gigabit broadband ISP networks. The review will help to establish the areas where public investment may be needed to deploy the service.