Network access provider Openreach (BT) has today revealed the next batch of 142 new locations to benefit from their ongoing deployment of a new multi-Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network, which has just officially reached the half-way point by covering over 12.5 million UK premises.

Openreach has today revealed that their £57m state aid supported Phase 2 Superfast Cymru contracts with the Welsh Government (WG), which required them to extend their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP network to 39,000 extra premises in rural Wales, ultimately delivered 44,000 and came in under budget.

Network builder and UK broadband ISP Vorboss, which is investing £300 million to deploy a new 100Gbps full fibre network – dedicated to business – across central London, are preparing to introduce their own-designed “Vorspin” (working title – may change) cargo e-bike around the city in order to support their network rollout.

Broadband ISP Virgin Media UK (VMO2) and network operator nexfibre have confirmed that an additional 7,000 homes and businesses in the North Yorkshire (England) town of Skipton and village of Glusburn have now been reached by their new 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP / XGS-PON) network.

The latest independent data has revealed that a shade over 80% of “homes” across the United Kingdom can now access a gigabit-capable broadband ISP connection (1000Mbps+), which is up from just over 72% at the end of last year. The figure drops to 60% when only looking at Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology (up from 45%).

Mobile network operator and broadband ISP EE have today officially launched their new paid EE TV service to customers, which is largely a re-branding of the BT TV service and one that includes a few changes. This is all part of the group’s ongoing effort to turn the provider into their “flagship brand for our consumer customers”.

Hull-based UK ISP Quickline, which is deploying a gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across North East England, has today announced that their new fibre infrastructure has just gone live for homes and businesses in five more North Yorkshire villages – including Hebden, Barden, Burnsall and Hetton.

Rochdale-based ISP Zen Internet has revealed that they’ve finally completed their exchange rollout (unbundling) programme, which means that over 80% of the United Kingdom should now be within reach of their cheaper on-net based Ethernet (leased lines) and broadband products (e.g. FTTP).

Openreach has announced that their new “Advanced Connection” service for those ordering a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP product will leave its pilot phase and get a full launch from 2nd January 2024. The new option aims to tackle situations where an installation might be more complex than usual.

A new meta-study from consultancy firm Compass Lexecon has examined markets where mergers reduced the number of primary mobile network operators from 4 to 3 and found little evidence to suggest that they harm consumers, which could bode well for Vodafone and Three UK’s proposed, if still somewhat controversial, tie-up.

Satellite operator OneWeb (Eutelsat) is working with the Imperial College London (ICL) in England on a new project that will explore the possibility of harnessing the company’s ultrafast broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to help monitor global space weather, which may in turn help to protect other satellites and ground services.

Mobile operator O2 (VMO2) has successfully boosted their 4G mobile (mobile broadband) capacity across the popular seaside resort of Skegness, which sits in the East Lindsey District of Lincolnshire, England. The enhanced coverage was achieved as part of a small cells trial with IaaS provider Ontix.

Mobile operator EE has successfully installed two new 4G mobile (mobile broadband) masts at Out Skerries and Foula on two of the UK’s most remote inhabited islands. This is also important because they mark the completion of the operator’s rollout under Scotland’s £28.75m 4G Infill programme (S4GI).

Broadband ISP and energy provider Shell Energy has confirmed that the Octopus Energy Group have now completed their acquisition of the UK retail provider from the Shell Group, which follows the signing of a related deal in September 2023 (here). But uncertainty remains over the future of their internet and phone customers.

Ofcom has today set out DRAFT guidance on how “highly effective” UK internet age verification checks must be implemented to stop children from accessing online porn websites and services as part of the wider Online Safety Act. But concerns remain over user privacy, while broadband ISPs may be asked to block websites that fail to comply.

Network operator CityFibre has confirmed that, following an “ongoing review of prioritisation of our deployment locations“, they have taken the decision to pause their £40m project to deploy a new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network across the Wiltshire town of Swindon.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has today published the first framework for the future 6G mobile (mobile broadband) and wireless networking technology (IMT-2030), which will support the development of related standards and radio interface technologies. The framework also reveals more about its potential capabilities.