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Articles for Category Tag - Europe

Europe Softens State Aid Rules for Faster Broadband Deployments

27th May, 2014 (2 Comments)

As expected the European Commission (EC) has adopted a revised General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) for the use of state aid (tax payers money) with regards to rolling out faster Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband networks, which among other things means that broadband funding under €70m (£57m) doesn’t have to be notified or approved by the EC.

Europe Adopts New Rules to Cut Broadband Deployment Costs

14th May, 2014 (1 Comment)

The Council of the European Union last week formally adopted new rules that aim to make it both “easier and cheaper” to roll-out ultrafast broadband networks, such as fibre optic infrastructure. In addition the new rules also call for a voluntary “Broadband-Ready” label on buildings with high-speed access and for all new builds after 31st December 2016 to be constructed “high-speed ready“.

EU Court Rules People Sometimes Have a Right to be Forgotten Online

13th May, 2014 (2 Comments)

Sometimes Internet privacy and freedom of information can come into bitter conflict with each other and that appears to be the outcome of a new ruling against Google by the European Union’s Court of Justice (ECJ). The outcome could lay the groundwork for everybody to have a “right to be forgotten” online.

Vodafone UK Launch 4G Mobile Broadband Roaming in 4 EU Countries

2nd May, 2014 (4 Comments)

Mobile operator Vodafone UK has announced that customers of their Red 4G plans (including business travellers) will now also be able to make use of “ultrafast” Mobile Broadband connectivity when roaming across Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

European Court of Justice Rules ISP Internet Data Retention Law Invalid

8th April, 2014 (3 Comments)

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has delivered a significant victory to privacy advocates after it ruled that the EU’s Data Retention Directive, which requires member states and their phone / Internet providers to keep a basic access log of all website, email and phone call activity for up to 2 years, was now considered “invalid“.

European Parliament Clears Tougher Rules to Protect an Open Internet

3rd April, 2014 (1 Comment)

The European Parliament’s vote today to “end [mobile] roaming charges” by Christmas 2015 and protect open access to the Internet arguably masks the real story, which is that several new amendments have introduced a clear and very specific reference for the “principle of net neutrality” (i.e. treating all Internet traffic as equal).

European Court of Justice Says ISPs Must Block Piracy Websites

27th March, 2014 (8 Comments)

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has today ruled that Internet Service Providers (ISP) across the EU can now be ordered to block their customers from being able to access a copyright-infringing website (e.g. The Pirate Bay). But national courts will still have the final say.

EU and UK Next Gen Broadband Uptake Improves But 100Mbps Still Rare

25th March, 2014 (5 Comments)

A new report into the state of Internet connectivity around Europe (price and speed) has today revealed that nearly one in five EU fixed broadband subscriptions went to a superfast broadband (30Mbps+) service but ultrafast connections (100Mbps+) are still rare, with penetration (subscriptions as a % of population) standing at just 1.2% (0.4% in the UK).

EU ITRE Committee Approve Net Neutrality and Cheaper Roaming Rules

18th March, 2014 (3 Comments)

The European Parliament’s ITRE Industry Committee has this morning voted in favour of the new Telecoms Single Market Regulation, which proposes a raft of changes including measures to protect open Internet access from abuse by ISPs (Net Neutrality), ending EU mobile roaming charges, coordinating spectrum for wireless/mobile operators and various other measures like easier switching between broadband providers.

UPDATE 75% of UK Homes Can Get 30Mbps Capable Superfast Broadband

12th March, 2014 (4 Comments)

The latest research from Point Topic has claimed that superfast broadband (30Mbps+) coverage in the United Kingdom increased by 4.9% during 2013, reaching a total coverage of 75.2% (20.4 million homes) during the beginning of 2014. Ofcom has also published their European Broadband Scorecard, which puts the UK ahead of the other “major” EU states.

24% of EU Internet Users Suffer ISP Internet Content Restrictions or Blocking

27th February, 2014 (3 Comments)

A new survey of 28,000 Internet using citizens across the European Union (3290 from the UK) has revealed that 24% claim to have been prevented by their broadband ISP or mobile operator from watching videos, listening to music or using other applications of their choice, allegedly due to censorship measures or speed restrictions.

Europe Approve Weakened Broadband Infrastructure Investment for 100Mb+

26th February, 2014 (0 Comments)

The European Parliament has today approved a €1bn (£820m) Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) investment package, which aims to support pan-European digital projects. But only 15% has been earmarked to support broadband projects of which at least one third will aim at speeds of 100Mbps+.

Lincolnshire UK Boosts Fibre Broadband Coverage via Extra GBP2.8m

7th February, 2014 (0 Comments)

The £48m Onlincolnshire project in the East Midlands (England), which initially aimed to make BT’s superfast broadband (25Mbps+) network available to “at least” 88% of all homes and businesses in the county by April 2016, has won another £2.8m to help cover an extra 5,000 homes and businesses.

£9m EU Boost for Rural Projects and Broadband in Greater Lincolnshire

30th December, 2013 (1 Comment)

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) has allocated £8,782,191 to the Local Enterprise Partnership area of Greater Lincolnshire in England, which among other things could be used to fund small-scale renewable and broadband infrastructure improvements in rural areas.

ASA Ban O2 UK Tweet Ad for Misleading EU Mobile Data Roaming Offer

11th December, 2013 (0 Comments)

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a Twitter tweet advert from O2 UK after it misleadingly claimed that customers using their Mobile Broadband connection to roam while travelling around Europe would only need to pay £1.99 for a day’s worth of data usage, which failed to mention the tiny usage allowance.

Point Topic Backs Smaller ISPs to Fix UK Rural Superfast Broadband Woes

9th December, 2013 (9 Comments)

London-based broadband analyst firm Point Topic has told ISPreview.co.uk, as part of our exclusive interview, that hybrid fibre optic (FTTC, DOCSIS etc.) services are the best way of getting affordable superfast Internet access to 95% of the country by 2017 and that smaller (altnets) ISPs should play a “major role” in connecting the final 5%.

UK Comes Top of the Major EU Countries for Superfast Broadband

3rd December, 2013 (3 Comments)

The latest Analysys Mason study has claimed that the United Kingdom remains top of the “big five” (EU5) European countries (i.e. France, Germany, Italy and Spain) in terms of superfast broadband (30Mbps+) coverage, take-up, average service speeds and competition. But the wider picture remains more complex.