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Latest Key Developments

Ofcom Aid Full Fibre Broadband by Stopping Targeted BT FTTC Price Cuts

1st Dec, 2017 (9 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has opened a new consultation on a change to help foster the roll-out of “full fibre” (FTTP/H) broadband networks by preventing BT from reducing its wholesale charges for slower hybrid fibre (FTTC) connections in areas where rivals are building new networks.

BT Dark Fibre Ruling Forces Ofcom to Revoke Business Connectivity Changes

23rd Nov, 2017 (6 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has today announced that they are revoking and re-examining the changes imposed under their 2016 Business Connectivity Market Review (e.g. Dark Fibre Access), which follows a BT supported ruling from the Competition Appeal Tribunal against their market definitions.

UPDATE ASA Rule UK Fibre Broadband ISP Adverts for Part Fibre Do NOT Mislead

23rd Nov, 2017 (33 Comments)

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has today determined that it is “not materially misleading” to describe broadband services that use fibre optic cables for only part of the connection to consumers’ homes (e.g. FTTC) as “fibre broadband“, much to the annoyance of UK MPs and critics.

ASA Forces UK Broadband ISPs to Advertise AVERAGE Peak Time Speeds

23rd Nov, 2017 (8 Comments)

The Advertising Standards Authority has today given notice to Internet Service Providers (ISP) in the United Kingdom that, with effect from 23rd May 2018, they will expect all broadband ISPs to advertise “average” speeds (the median measured at peak time) for their headline packages.

UPDATE FINAL Details on Automatic Compensation for Broadband ISP Faults

10th Nov, 2017 (7 Comments)

As expected Ofcom has today set out the final details for their new automatic compensation system, which will force UK ISPs to compensate consumers (cash or bill credits) for a total loss of broadband connectivity, albeit only under certain circumstances (e.g. the outage lasts longer than 2 working days).

Openreach Find “broad support” for Large Scale UK FTTP Broadband Rollout

31st Oct, 2017 (34 Comments)

After conducting an industry consultation Openreach (BT) has today claimed that ISPs offered “broad support” for their proposal to conduct a “large scale” rollout of Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) ultrafast broadband across the UK, which could in theory reach 10 million premises by 2025. But no deal.. yet.

Ofcom Nudge BT to Slash UK Standalone Monthly Line Rental Costs by £7

26th Oct, 2017 (15 Comments)

Consumers who take a landline-only phone service from BT will, from 1st April 2018, pay £7 per month less for their line rental following a decision by Ofcom (i.e. £11.99 inc. VAT per month instead of £18.99). The move will benefit up to 1 million of the operator’s customers, especially elderly users.

UPDATE Openreach Dark Fibre – New OSA Filter Connect Product for ISPs

18th Oct, 2017 (0 Comments)

Openreach has today advised us about the forthcoming launch of their new Optical Spectrum Access (OSA) product for ISPs (OSA Filter Connect), which appears to be a Dark Fibre style solution that has been designed to address many of the perceived failings of a “one-size fits all” regulated product.

Ofcom Enhances UK Code of Practice for Broadband ISP Speeds

6th Oct, 2017 (9 Comments)

Consumers will soon benefit from more accurate information on what broadband line speeds they can expect from their ISP and what they can do if this isn’t delivered. The changes form part of a proposed update to Ofcom’s voluntary code of practice for residential speeds.

UPDATE Openreach Cancels UK Launch of their Dark Fibre Access Product

15th Aug, 2017 (29 Comments)

The proposed Dark Fibre Access product from Openreach (BT), which would have allowed rival ISPs to gain “physical access” to the operator’s existing fibre optic cables (i.e. enabling them to install their own equipment at either end of the fibre within cable ducts), has today officially been cancelled.. for now.

UPD2 Ofcom Reveals Price Impact of BT’s Proposed 10Mbps Broadband USO

9th Aug, 2017 (7 Comments)

Ofcom has today revised their Wholesale Local Access (WLA) charge controls in order to show how their planned broadband / FTTC price reductions could be impacted by BT’s voluntary proposal to spend £450m to £600m on the roll-out of a 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation.

Ofcom Model a 20Mbps Broadband USO Option for the UK Government

1st Aug, 2017 (18 Comments)

Most won’t have noticed but Ofcom has published an update to last year’s cost analysis for the proposed broadband Universal Service Obligation, which reveals that the Government asked them to model a 20Mbps (2Mbps upload) USO option and it might be better value for money.

UPDATE BT and Gov Propose £600m 10Mbps Broadband USO Universal Service

30th Jul, 2017 (50 Comments)

After a lot of negotiation the Government and BT have today proposed a deal that could see the operator fund a new Universal Service Obligation (USO), which will aim to ensure that everybody can request a broadband download speed of at least 10Mbps by 2020. Now for the caveats.

UPDATE4 Ofcom and BT Reach Voluntary Agreement on Openreach’s Future

10th Mar, 2017 (64 Comments)

After an exhausting year of disagreements it’s today been announced that BT and the UK telecoms regulator have finally reached an agreement on the future of the operator’s network access division, which means that Ofcom won’t need to force through Openreach’s “legal separation“.

Ofcom Reveals its Options for the UK 10Mbps Broadband USO

16th Dec, 2016 (6 Comments)

The national telecoms regulator has today proposed a series of options for how a new legally-binding 10Mbps broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) could be rolled out across the United Kingdom by 2020, but it’s expensive and the final decision is down to the Government.