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Latest Key Developments

Giffgaff Launch Trial of UK Full Fibre Broadband via Nexfibre and Virgin Media

15th Apr, 2025 (42 Comments)

Mobile network provider giffgaff, which is owned by Telefónica and naturally uses O2’s virtual operator (MVNO) platform, has today confirmed their intention to trial and launch a range of full fibre (FTTP) home broadband packages via nexfibre and Virgin Media’s national networks. Much as ISPreview first leaked last year.

Housing Search and UK Broadband Under Magnifying Glass

Wales Adopts Rules to Ensure New Build Homes Get Gigabit Broadband

1st Apr, 2025 (2 Comments)

The Welsh Government (WG) has confirmed that new rules will be introduced across wales from 1st July 2025, which broadly follow England’s own updated Building Regulations by requiring housing developers to “ensure all new build houses be equipped with gigabit broadband capability” (some exceptions apply).

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Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme Expanded to UK Urban Areas

31st Mar, 2025 (6 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has today tweaked the language on the information page for their Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) in a number of key ways. This sees the removal of “rural” specific language and the introduction of language stating that some areas are “open for urban voucher projects“.

ISPA and INCA Set Out New UK Guidance for Deploying Telegraph Poles

25th Mar, 2025 (10 Comments)

The ISPA and INCA have today published new ‘Best Practice Guidance’ for gigabit broadband operators that are building new poles as part of their UK network expansions. The guidance aims to support the Government’s goal of “ending the deployment of unnecessary telegraph poles” (here), not least by requiring providers to engage more closely with communities before they build.

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CityFibre to Acquire Connexin’s UK FTTP Broadband Network UPDATE

24th Mar, 2025 (14 Comments)

Network operator CityFibre has this morning announced their second recent acquisition of an alternative UK broadband provider, which will see them gobble Connexin’s growing 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network in parts of East Yorkshire (Hull etc.), Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire (England). The financial details of the deal are not yet known.

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Welsh Government to Reopen ABC Broadband Vouchers this Spring

24th Mar, 2025 (0 Comments)

The Welsh Government (WG) has revealed that their Access Broadband Cymru (ABC) grant scheme is to “reopen” this spring 2025, albeit with some changes. The scheme previously offered funding to help rural homes get a faster broadband service installed in areas of slow connectivity, until it was paused last summer (here).

Ofcom Set Out Changes to Boost UK Gigabit Broadband in 2026 Review UPDATE3

20th Mar, 2025 (11 Comments)

The national telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today published their proposals for the new Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR), which it hopes will help to “promote competition and investment” in gigabit broadband and business connectivity. Broadly speaking, the regulator will be updating and tweaking their existing approach, with few radical changes this time around.

Broadband ISPs Vodafone, BT, KCOM and Zen Internet Prep New UK Battery Backup

14th Mar, 2025 (47 Comments)

Broadband, mobile and phone provider Vodafone UK has today announced that they’ve teamed up with rival ISPs BT, KCOM and Zen Internet to help bring an improved Broadband Battery Backup (BBU) device for WiFi routers to market, which is said to be capable of powering a customers broadband router (inc. digital phone/voice service) for up to 4-to-7 hours.

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Freedom Fibre Drops Out of Project Gigabit Broadband Contract for Cheshire UK

7th Mar, 2025 (26 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has just unexpectedly announced that alternative network provider Freedom Fibre has “mutually agreed to terminate” the £43m (state aid) Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract for Cheshire (Lot 17), which would have expanded a full fibre (FTTP) network to 15,000 premises in hard to reach areas.

Openreach to Start Closure of 105 National UK Exchanges in April 2025

28th Feb, 2025 (67 Comments)

Network operator Openreach (BT) has confirmed that they will kick off their project to close around 4,600 of their legacy exchanges from 1st April 2025, starting with the introduction of a “stop sell” on new service provisions for an initial batch of 105 sites (due to complete by around 2030/31). This will impact various broadband, PIA and Ethernet services from ISPs.

Broadband and Mobile Providers Pledge to Help UK Gov Improve Digital Skills

26th Feb, 2025 (0 Comments)

The UK government has today set out its plan for increasing digital skills to help “deliver growth and opportunity for all“, which among other things includes various pledges from key ISPs and mobile operators (e.g. BT, CityFibre, Vodafone etc.) to help support the initiative and break down the digital divide that still exists for many people.

GoFibre Win Project Gigabit Broadband Rollout Contract for Scottish Borders UPDATE

20th Feb, 2025 (5 Comments)

Edinburgh-based ISP GoFibre has secured a third contract under the UK government’s £5bn Project Gigabit scheme, which is worth £26.2m (state aid) and will see them expand their gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to cover around 11,000 premises across hard-to-reach rural areas in the Scottish Borders and East Lothian regions.

Ofcom Propose to Share Upper 6GHz Band for UK Mobile and WiFi

13th Feb, 2025 (11 Comments)

After conducting more research, the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today formally begun to consult on a proposal that will allow low power indoor WiFi and mobile broadband (4G, 5G etc.) networks to “share” access to the upper 6GHz radio spectrum band (6425 to 7125MHz). But full implementation could take years.

New Gov Action Plan Supports Vulnerable Users in UK Digital Phone Switchover

12th Feb, 2025 (20 Comments)

The UK government has published its revised Telecare National Action Plan (TNAP), which will require major UK broadband and phone providers (e.g. BT, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Sky Broadband) to go further with protecting vulnerable telecare users when upgrading legacy phone lines to new digital (IP based) networks.

BDUK Reopens Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to Devon UK UPDATE

11th Feb, 2025 (12 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has made a change today that re-opens their Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) for parts of Devon in England, which means that local homes and businesses in poorly served rural areas can apply for big grants to help get a much faster broadband ISP network installed.

First Hints of New UK Gov Measures to Tackle Broadband Pole Complaints

10th Feb, 2025 (33 Comments)

The UK Government will shortly attempt to deliver on their pledge to “end the deployment of unnecessary telegraph poles” (here) by publishing an updated Code of Practice for broadband operators to follow, which will set out new guidance on the divisive issue. We now have a good idea of what that new code will include.

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Openreach and Nokia Claim UK’s First Live Test of 50Gbps Broadband UPDATE

5th Feb, 2025 (47 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT), working alongside new 50G PON technology from strategic supplier Nokia, has this morning announced that they’ve “successfully tested” the United Kingdom’s “first live” 50Gbps speed broadband connection from a residential property in Ipswich (Suffolk, England).