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Latest Key Developments

Ofcom Propose Tweaks and Dark Fibre for KCOM in Hull UK

16th Jul, 2020 (2 Comments)

After a bit of a COVID-19 delay. Ofcom has today opened a review of regulation on KCOM’s network in the Hull (East Yorkshire) area, which last year completed the roll-out of a new gigabit Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband service across their entire network and is now expanding beyond that footprint.

NO Huawei – UK Gov BANs New 5G Mobile Kit from Dec 2020 UPDATED

14th Jul, 2020 (62 Comments)

The UK Government has today confirmed a dramatic U-turn, which means that new core and non-core 5G kit from Chinese tech giant Huawei will be banned from use in mobile networks from 31st December 2020. But existing kit will get until 2027 for removal and a decision on FTTP broadband ISPs will come later.

Virgin Media Start UK Rollout of Remote Phy to Improve Network

10th Jul, 2020 (53 Comments)

Cable ISP Virgin Media has just made their first UK deployment of a new-ish technology – Remote Phy (R-PHY) – on their Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) based DOCSIS broadband and TV network in Coventry. The development will make their network more efficient, which should lead to better internet speeds and reliability.

Progress on BDUK Plan for £5bn UK Gigabit Broadband Rollout

8th Jul, 2020 (15 Comments)

Over the past few months’ we’ve seen the UK Government step-up market engagement exercises as part of work to develop a framework for their £5bn investment, which aims to ensure that “every home” can access “gigabit-capable” broadband by the end of 2025. As a result we now have a better idea of what this will look like.

CMA, ICO and Ofcom Launch Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum

1st Jul, 2020 (3 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today joined forces with both the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in order to launch a new forum, which aims to help “ensure online services work well for people and businesses in the UK.”

copper vs fibre optic openreach engineer

Ofcom Consults on Openreach UK Copper Retirement Process

25th Jun, 2020 (52 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today opened a short consultation on their proposal to push back some key decisions regarding the retirement process for Openreach’s (BT) copper lines in favour of fibre optic broadband. In short, Ofcom wants to see a bit more FTTP roll-out take place first (for experience), before they set out a final plan.

79,000 Premises in Wales Remain Without Superfast Broadband UPDATE

24th Jun, 2020 (20 Comments)

The Welsh Government (WG) has today issued a short update on their various broadband schemes, which among other things reveals that 79,000 properties (categorised as “white premises”) still do not have access to “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) and won’t benefit from any future roll-out plans within the next 3 years.

ISP Fibrus Commits to Help N.Ireland Hit 100% FTTP Broadband

17th Jun, 2020 (2 Comments)

Belfast-based UK ISP Fibrus, which recently began the £85m+ roll-out of a new 1Gbps Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband network in Northern Ireland and aims to cover 145,000 premises by around 2024 (here), has now committed to help ensure that 100% of homes can access such services by the end of 2025.

european union including united kingdom map

UK Ranks 8th in 2020 EU Broadband Connectivity Progress Study

12th Jun, 2020 (6 Comments)

The European Commission has today published their annual 2020 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which reveals how the UK’s fixed line broadband ISP and mobile networks compare with the rest of the EU. Overall the UK ranks just 20th for “Connectivity” (up from 21st in 2019), but we do better in other areas.

Accident of water supply, sewage. Water fountain pours out from under the road sewer. Breakthrough sewerage system

Government May Open UK Utilities Infrastructure for Broadband

12th Jun, 2020 (13 Comments)

The UK government (DCMS) will today launch a call for evidence as part of a new review of the Access to Infrastructure (ATI) Regulations 2016, which could enable “gigabit-capable” broadband operators to expand their networks by harnessing existing electricity, gas, water and sewer networks via infrastructure sharing.

Red Road Closed road sign in a UK city street.

New UK Specification for Micro Trenching to Help Broadband

15th May, 2020 (4 Comments)

The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has today published the 4th Edition of their ‘Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways‘ (SROH), which might not sound particularly sexy but if you’re a civil engineer deploying “full fibre” (FTTP) broadband then the new specification for Micro Trenching will be of interest.

Openreach Selects ADTRAN as 3rd Strategic UK FTTP Supplier

14th May, 2020 (12 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has today announced that they’ve selected ADTRAN’s Software-Defined Fibre Access Platform to help support the roll-out of their new 1Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network, which means they’ll become the operator’s third strategic supplier after Nokia and Huawei (plus some old ECI kit).

Government’s UK Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme Ends Today

14th May, 2020 (21 Comments)

As predicted the UK Government’s (DCMS) £68.5m Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS), which offered up to £2,500 to help businesses and some homes gain access to a “gigabit-capable” ISP connection, will today close to new applications at 1pm after having exhausted all of its remaining funds.

Openreach to Stop Selling Copper Phone in 118 Areas – Go FTTP

13th May, 2020 (62 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has today announced that they’re accelerating plans to move away from their old analogue phone (PSTN / WLR) services and on to a new all-IP network, which will see more than 118 UK exchange locations receiving over 75% coverage via their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP technology by June 2021.

Ofcom – Full Fibre Broadband Grows to 3.5Million UK Premises

13th May, 2020 (25 Comments)

Ofcom has published their Spring 2020 update for UK broadband and mobile networks, which reveals that “full fibre” (FTTP) coverage has risen to 12% (up from 10% in September 2019) and the number of premises unable to get 10Mbps+ remains at 2% (608,000 premises). Geographic 4G coverage is now 67% (up from 66%).

BT Invest £12bn on FTTP Broadband for 20 Million UK Premises

7th May, 2020 (135 Comments)

The BT Group has today published their Q4 2019/20 (financial) results and announced a tentative “target” to boost the national roll-out of their “gigabit-capable” Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network, which could see Openreach reach 20 million UK premises by the “mid – to late-2020s.”

Virgin Media and O2 Agree UK Broadband and Mobile Merger

7th May, 2020 (45 Comments)

Cable broadband ISP Virgin Media (Liberty Global) and mobile operator O2 (Telefonica) have this morning confirmed that they’ve reached a complementary 50-50 joint venture deal to merge their respective fixed line broadband and mobile network businesses in the United Kingdom. But Vodafone could still crash the party.