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Latest Key Developments

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.

COVID-19 – Ofcom Delays UK Telecoms Work for 2020 to 2021

30th Apr, 2020 (2 Comments)

In an unsurprising development Ofcom has today published a revision of their proposed annual work plan for 2020/21, which has naturally resulted in various delays to their broadband (e.g. full fibre competition), mobile (e.g. 5G auctions) and related regulation work due to the on-going COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.

UK Creeps Up 2020 FTTH Ultrafast Broadband Country Ranking

23rd Apr, 2020 (6 Comments)

The FTTH Council Europe has today published their annual 2020 ranking, which lists the countries with the strongest subscriber penetration of “full fibre” (FTTP/H/B) ultrafast broadband ISP networks. The good news is that the United Kingdom continues to claw its way up and is no longer at the very bottom.

Mobile Firms and UK ISPs Commit to Protect Vulnerable Users

29th Mar, 2020 (0 Comments)

Most of the major UK broadband ISPs and mobile network operators have today agreed a set of “important commitments” with Ofcom and Government (DCMS) help to support and protect “vulnerable consumers,” as well as those who may become vulnerable due to circumstances arising from COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

COVID-19 – Openreach Limit UK Broadband ISP and Phone Work UPDATE

24th Mar, 2020 (78 Comments)

In a significant development Openreach (BT) has issued a status of Matters Beyond Our Reasonable Control (MBORC) across a variety of popular products, which from 23:59 tonight will effectively stop, limit or delay many new broadband and phone provisions (installs), repair jobs and engineer appointments on a “national basis.”

10Mbps UK Broadband Universal Service Obligation to Go Live UPDATE3

19th Mar, 2020 (98 Comments)

The UK Government’s new legally-binding Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband – supplied by ISPs BT and KCOM – will tomorrow go live. The aim is to ensure that anybody living in a digitally disadvantaged area can request a “minimum” download speed of at least 10Mbps (1Mbps upload), but there are caveats.

Ofcom’s Plan to Measure the 4G UK Mobile Coverage Obligation

18th Mar, 2020 (4 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today revealed some more details about the new £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN), which aims to extend UK geographic 4G mobile coverage to 95% by the end of 2025, and explained how they will assess the compliance of O2, Vodafone, Three UK and EE (BT) with those commitments.

Government Push Gigabit Broadband into New Build UK Homes

17th Mar, 2020 (11 Comments)

The UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has today unveiled new legislation, which will effectively make it mandatory for property developers to ensure that almost every new home is built with support for “gigabit-speed” (1Gbps) broadband ISP connections “fit for the future.“

Ofcom UK Publish 5G Auction Rules for 700MHz and 3.6-3.8GHz

13th Mar, 2020 (6 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today finalised their rules for this year’s forthcoming auction of the 700MHz and 3.6-3.8GHz radio spectrum bands, which hopes to boost new 5G mobile network coverage and mobile broadband speeds further into the Gigabit-capable (1000Mbps+) territory.

Operators Sign £1bn Deal for 95% Geographic UK 4G Cover by 2026

9th Mar, 2020 (11 Comments)

Mobile operators BT (EE), Vodafone, O2 and Three UK have today reached a final agreement on costs to support the Government’s £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) plan, which will work to extend geographic 4G mobile (mobile broadband) coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of 2025. But one aspect may have been watered down.