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Latest Key Developments

Government to Water Down 2025 Full Fibre for All UK Target – Become Gigabit UPDATE

14th Sep, 2019 (57 Comments)

Several industry sources have indicated to ISPreview.co.uk that they now expect the Government to water down Boris Johnson’s (Prime Minister) pledge to cover the United Kingdom in “full fibre” (FTTP) broadband by 2025, which will instead be replaced by “gigabit” or “gigafast” terminology (i.e. delivery by more than just full fibre).

Openreach Put the Brakes on Future UK G.fast Broadband Plans

11th Sep, 2019 (51 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has today informed ISPs that they are holding off giving any further guidance on future build plans for their hybrid fibre G.fast “ultrafast broadband” (100Mbps+) technology, which means that under the existing rollout they will only cover 2.73 million UK premises by March 2020..

Improved Mobile Planning Rules and £30m for UK Rural 5G Trials

27th Aug, 2019 (5 Comments)

The UK Government has commitment another £30m to help up to 10 rural locations conduct “innovative trials” of 5G mobile / mobile broadband applications as part of a new Rural Connected Communities (RCC) project, which could stimulate commercial investment. On top of that they aim to ease mobile planning rules.

Openreach Unveil 36 New UK Areas for FTTP Ultrafast Broadband

31st Jul, 2019 (59 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today announced that their multi-billion pound “Fibre First” rollout of Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP technology will – over the next 12 months – be reaching parts of an additional 36 new locations across the UK (total now 74).

Northern Ireland’s £165m Broadband Plan to Help 98000 Premises

25th Jul, 2019 (11 Comments)

The Department for the Economy (DfE) in Northern Ireland has finally begun the procurement phase for Project Stratum, which reflects its plan to invest £165 million in order to ensure that most of the 98,000 premises still awaiting access to “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) ISP networks can get it.

Ofcom Opens UK Radio Spectrum for Smaller Local Wireless Networks UPDATE

25th Jul, 2019 (2 Comments)

As expected Ofcom has today unveiled a new sharing framework that will be applied via four of the United Kingdom’s radio spectrum frequency bands (airwaves), which should make it possible for smaller mobile and fixed wireless broadband ISP networks to be created in order to deliver local coverage or industrial use.

O2 UK Sets October 2019 Rollout for Ultrafast 5G Mobile Broadband

25th Jul, 2019 (1 Comment)

Mobile operator O2 (Telefonica) has today confirmed that their next generation ultrafast 5G (mobile broadband) network will join EE, Vodafone and Three UK by beginning its commercial rollout in October 2019. The aim being to go live in 20 towns and cities this year and a total of 50 by Summer 2020.

Virgin Media UK Rollout 1Gbps Broadband for All on Network by 2021

25th Jul, 2019 (38 Comments)

Cable ISP Virgin Media (Liberty Global) has pounced on Boris Johnson’s appointment to the role of UK Prime Minister by revealing that it will make broadband download speeds of at least 1Gbps (1000Mbps) available to all 15 million premises on their network by 2021, which is thanks to their long-awaited DOCSIS 3.1 upgrade.

Ofcom Tests New Rules on Openreach’s FTTP Exchange Upgrade Trial

24th Jul, 2019 (7 Comments)

Ofcom has announced that they will test a softer approach to UK telecoms regulation on Openreach’s new FTTP broadband Exchange Upgrade trial in Salisbury (Wiltshire), which is testing how the operator will in the future handle a complete migration from copper to “full fibre” lines.

Openreach Cuts UK ISP Wholesale Prices for FTTP Ultrafast Broadband

22nd Jul, 2019 (37 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has today announced that they’re cutting the wholesale prices of their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) ultrafast broadband lines from 1st September 2019, which is intended to help encourage take-up of the new service by ISPs (provided Ofcom approve their proposed changes, which they probably will).

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Ofcom Pushes Fair Pricing on UK Mobile and Handset Bundles

22nd Jul, 2019 (8 Comments)

The UK communications and media (broadband, mobile, TV etc.) regulator has today set out a range of new measures that are intended to tackle bundles of both mobile handsets and tariffs (airtime contracts) together, which often continue to charge consumers for the handset even once the minimum contract term has ended.

Fibre ISPs Take Note – UK Consults on New EU Electronic Comms Code

19th Jul, 2019 (0 Comments)

The Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has begun consulting on its plan to implement the new European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) into UK law, which includes new provisions that are intended to boost the rollout of Gigabit speed “full fibre” (FTTP) broadband and 5G mobile networks.

Cityfibre Confirm 14 UK Towns and Cities for Phase 2 FTTH Rollout

19th Jul, 2019 (22 Comments)

Cityfibre has today confirmed the next 14 UK cities and towns (only three are new additions) to benefit from Phase Two their £2.5bn rollout of a new Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband network, which is being supported by residential ISP partner Vodafone and aims to cover 5 million premises by 2025.

Ofcom Toughens UK Phone Number Porting to Prevent Abuse

8th Jul, 2019 (6 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today introduced new protections, which are designed to make it harder for dodgy fixed broadband ISPs and phone providers to block or hinder consumers from being able to port their telephone numbers to a different provider.

Vodafone UK Give 5G Launch a Boost by Adding Unlimited Data

3rd Jul, 2019 (35 Comments)

ISP Vodafone has today gone live in 7 UK cities with their new 5G based ultrafast mobile broadband network. At the same time they’ve moved to challenge Three UK by introducing a new range of SIM-only and handset plans with “unlimited data” (also on 4G services). A new home broadband (FTTC) and mobile bundle is coming too.

Ofcom – From Monday Text PAC to 65075 to Switch UK Mobile Operators

28th Jun, 2019 (53 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today braced the industry for the introduction of their new “Text-to-Switch” (Auto-Switching) system for UK mobile operators like Vodafone, O2, Three UK and EE, which is going live on Monday next week. The new system will make it easier and quicker for consumers to change networks.

Gov to Give CMA Power to Fine UK Broadband ISPs for Loyalty Penalty UPDATE

18th Jun, 2019 (3 Comments)

The UK Government has proposed to beef up the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) so that it can “decide for itself whether consumer protection law has been broken” and impose fines for “wrongdoing,” such when potentially unfair pricing is applied to vulnerable customers (“loyalty penalty“).