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Latest Key Developments

SpaceX Successfully Launch First 60 LEO Ultrafast Broadband Satellites

24th May, 2019 (3 Comments)

SpaceX has this morning completed the first successful launch and delivery of 60 small Starlink Satellites, which are Low Earth Orbit (LEO) dwelling spacecraft that could in theory deliver “ultrafast broadband” speeds of up to 1Gbps and low latency times of around 25ms (milliseconds) around the world. Many more will follow.

Mobile Operator EE Set UK Live Date for Commercial 5G Network

22nd May, 2019 (25 Comments)

Mobile operator EE (BT) has today moved to steal some of Vodafone’s thunder by announcing that their own commercial ultrafast 5G mobile (mobile broadband) network will go live (non-trial) from 30th May 2019 in parts of London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham and Manchester. New rollout locations for 2020 have also been confirmed.

£200m UK Rural Gigabit Broadband Connectivity Programme Starts

19th May, 2019 (33 Comments)

The UK Government has today officially launched their new £200m Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) programme, which was originally announced during the 2018 Budget and aims to encourage an “outside-in” approach to building new ultrafast broadband ISP networks by focusing on helping to connect rural areas.

Ofcom Force End of Contract Notices for UK Broadband and Mobile

15th May, 2019 (13 Comments)

Ofcom has today set out the final details of their new end-of-contract notification system (sent by text, email or letter) for UK customers of broadband ISPs, Pay TV, landline phone and mobile operators, which is designed to help tackle the so-called “loyalty penalty” and will keep consumers informed about the best available deals.

Vodafone UK Grow to 575,000 Broadband Users and Set 5G Launch

14th May, 2019 (4 Comments)

Fixed line ISP and mobile operator Vodafone UK has released their latest quarterly results to the end of March (Q4 FY19), which saw them add another 50,000 fixed broadband customers (up from +46K in the previous quarter) to total 575,000. Plus they’ve announced the 3rd July 2019 launch of their UK 5G network.

Mobile Operators Strike UK Network Sharing Deal for Rural Coverage

13th May, 2019 (12 Comments)

Mobile operators EE (BT), Vodafone, O2 and Three UK have confirmed a new agreement that could help to boost the rural coverage of their 2G, 3G, 4G and future 5G networks. Under the deal a new infrastructure company will be established to help build masts in remote areas. Now they just need Ofcom to agree.

Openreach Aim for 15 Million UK FTTP Broadband Premises by 2025

9th May, 2019 (10 Comments)

Telecoms giant Openreach (BT) has today confirmed a significant ramping-up of their UK “Fibre First” rollout of 1Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP technology, which will now aim to cover 4 million homes and businesses by March 2021 (up from 3m) and an ambition for 15 million by around 2025 (up from 10m).

Ofcom 2019 Report – Avg. Home Broadband ISP Speeds Hit 54Mbps UPDATE

8th May, 2019 (20 Comments)

The national UK telecoms regulator has today published their 2019 study of fixed line home broadband ISP speeds, which reports that the average download rate has risen from 46.2Mbps last year to 54.2Mbps now and uploads hit 7.2Mbps (up from 6.2Mbps). But the gap between urban and rural areas has worsened.

New UK Laws to Make Broadband Routers and IoT Kit More Secure

1st May, 2019 (14 Comments)

The Government has today launched a new consultation on their proposal to introduce new laws that would seek to improve the security of internet connected devices, such as smart TVs, broadband ISP routers, smart speakers and other Internet of Things (IoT) style devices. But “initially” these will only be voluntary.

Cityfibre Lose Case Against “Misleading” Fibre Broadband ISP Ads

15th Apr, 2019 (61 Comments)

The UK High Court of Justice has today dismissed Cityfibre’s Judicial Review of the Advertising Standards Authority’s decision to allow slower “part fibre” (hybrid fibre) ISPs to use “fibre” terminology in their broadband adverts, which Gigabit capable “full fibre” (FTTH/P) providers have long felt to be “misleading“.

Ofcom Consults on the Future of UK Phone Numbers and Porting UPDATE

11th Apr, 2019 (21 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has launched a shotgun blast of three new consultations today that cover how the fixed line broadband ISP and phone market will need to change as consumers are migrated from old analogue telephone services (PSTN) to new digital Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) platforms.

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Automatic Compensation Goes Live for UK Broadband ISP Customers

31st Mar, 2019 (11 Comments)

Ofcom’s new system of automatic compensation will tomorrow be introduced, which requires major UK ISPs to compensate consumers (cash or bill credits) for a total loss of broadband connectivity (i.e. if the outage lasts longer than 2 working days), missed appointments or delayed installs.

Ofcom Updates on Plan to Boost UK Full Fibre Broadband Investment UPDATE

29th Mar, 2019 (10 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today set out more detail on how they intend to change market regulation in order to promote competition and investment in the roll-out of Gigabit capable “full fibre” (FTTP) broadband ISP networks, which will support the Government’s ambition for “nationwide” FTTP coverage by 2033.

Openreach Consults UK Broadband ISPs on Copper Switch-Off UPDATE

21st Mar, 2019 (79 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has today officially launched its first major industry consultation on the process of switching from their old legacy copper broadband and phone lines to new ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure, which includes discussions over how they should “eventually retire the existing copper network.”

Scotland Gives 10 Year Business Rates Holiday to Fibre Broadband

16th Mar, 2019 (12 Comments)

On 1st April 2019 the Scottish Government will go one big step further than the UK Government in Westminster by introducing 100% relief from business rates on new “fibre broadband infrastructure“. Better yet, the tax break is set to last for 10 long years until 31st March 2029.

Sky Broadband UK Seek Full Fibre ISP Alliance with Openreach Rivals UPDATE

15th Mar, 2019 (18 Comments)

The CEO of Sky UK (Sky Broadband), Stephen van Rooyen, has written a letter to the heads of several alternative “full fibre” (FTTP) network ISPs, seemingly in the hope of opening talks that could result in new wholesale or other agreements to help “increase investment” and “bring ultrafast broadband to more homes.”

New Ofcom Code of Practice for UK Broadband ISP Speeds to Start

28th Feb, 2019 (15 Comments)

An important change is due to be introduced tomorrow as part of Ofcom’s new Voluntary Codes of Practice on Broadband Speed (VCoP), which will require the largest UK ISPs to give you more information about your estimated line performance and make it easier to exit a contract penalty free (if faults cannot be fixed).