Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Net Neutrality (115 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Net Neutrality

Government Softens Stance on UK End to End Encryption Ban

6th September, 2023 (19 Comments)

The UK Government appears to have softened its controversial stance on end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in the looming Online Safety Bill (OSB), which threatened to undermine the security of internet messaging and communication platforms by allowing private messages to be filtered and moderated.

Report – Mobile Broadband Can Help to Fight UK Digital Exclusion

19th June, 2023 (1 Comment)

A new report from trade body Mobile UK, which represents Three UK, EE (BT), O2 (VMO2) and Vodafone, has helped to highlight how mobile connectivity can tackle the digital divide and encourage more people online. But it also highlights the need for “better Government policy” to complement such efforts.

Hard Choices for UK Gov – Block or Don’t Block WhatsApp and Signal

10th March, 2023 (49 Comments)

Two of the internet’s most popular secure messaging platforms, WhatsApp and Signal, have now both said that they would rather be blocked by the UK’s controversial new Online Safety Bill (OSB) than undermine the security (end-to-end encryption) of their platforms by allowing private messages to be filtered and moderated.

Net Neutrality – Ofcom UK Softens Open Internet Safeguards UPDATE2

21st October, 2022 (7 Comments)

Ofcom has today published new proposals to soften some of the UK’s existing Net Neutrality protection rules, which were established some years ago to ensure no serious blocking or slowing of access to legal websites or other internet services by broadband ISPs and mobile network operators. But there are some positive statements too.

BT and Vodafone UK Reiterate Desire to Make Netflix etc. Pay

26th September, 2022 (28 Comments)

The Net Neutrality debate (i.e. protecting the open internet from abuse by UK broadband ISPs and mobile operators) reared its head again today after BT and Vodafone both put their names to a new statement by the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ENTO), which was signed by 16 telcos’ CEOs.

Vodafone UK Trial Creates First On-Demand 5G Network Slice

15th March, 2022 (0 Comments)

Mobile operator Vodafone and their strategic supplier Ericsson have today announced having created the UK’s “first on-demand 5G network slice” in a successful lab trial, which could pave the way for future mobile broadband networks that can be created to serve different types of use with relative ease.

Encrypted Computer Data by 123rf ID104712693

Cybersecurity and Human Rights Groups Warn UK Against Encryption Ban

9th February, 2022 (3 Comments)

Some 50 leading security, human rights and technology experts have put their names to a new letter that accuses the UK Government of “misleading the public” with a “scaremongering” campaign against the use of end-to-end encryption on the internet, which helps to keep everything from financial transactions to messaging secure.

Gov Confirms Second Try at UK Internet Age Verification System

8th February, 2022 (23 Comments)

The Government has today confirmed that the new Online Safety Bill will, among many other changes, have another go at introducing a controversial internet age verification system, which will target “all websites” that contain pornographic content. Sites that fail to comply will be blocked by broadband ISPs and mobile operators.

EE Staff Deny UK Mobile Network Blocks Apple’s Private Relay

13th January, 2022 (12 Comments)

Support agents working for mobile operator EE (BT) have denied claims by some UK customers (here and here), and online news reports (here, here and here), that their mobile broadband (4G and 5G) network is intentionally blocking Apple’s iCloud linked ‘Private Relay‘ feature (such a block may clash with Net Neutrality rules).

ISPs and Content Providers Respond to Ofcom’s UK Net Neutrality Review

4th January, 2022 (26 Comments)

Ofcom has published some of the first responses from UK broadband ISPs and internet content providers to their new review of Net Neutrality rules, which were designed to ensure no serious blocking or slowing of access to legal websites or other online services by ISPs and mobile operators. Suffice to say, vested interests split the pack.

Broadband ISP BT Sees Peak UK Network Traffic Hit 25.5Tbps

2nd December, 2021 (30 Comments)

The CEO of BT’s Consumer division, Marc Allera, has revealed that last night’s live streaming of Premier League Football matches, on Amazon Prime Video, pushed internet traffic on their broadband network to its “highest peak yet” of 25.5Tbps (Terabits per second) – that’s about 12% higher than their previous peak set in December last year.

Ofcom Publish 5th Annual Report into UK Net Neutrality Issues

1st November, 2021 (2 Comments)

Ofcom has today published their fifth annual report into monitoring of the Open Internet Access Regulations (OIAR), also known as “net neutrality” rules. In short, no particular concerns regarding providers’ (broadband ISPs and mobile operators) practices were identified, but there were some interesting little tidbits.

Ofcom Begin New Review of UK Net Neutrality Rules Post Brexit UPDATE

7th September, 2021 (22 Comments)

The national telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today started a review of their existing Net Neutrality rules, which were designed to ensure no serious blocking or slowing of access to legal websites or internet services by broadband ISPs and mobile operators. But such protections may soon change.

Ofcom to Review UK Net Neutrality Rules Following ISP BT Moan

14th March, 2021 (22 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has confirmed that, over the course of the next year, it will begin a review of the existing Net Neutrality rules (i.e. these ensure no serious blocking or slowing of access to legal websites or internet services by broadband ISPs and mobile operators). The move follows a call by BT for greater flexibility.

BT Consumer CEO Seeks Softening of Existing UK Net Neutrality Rules

9th March, 2021 (22 Comments)

The CEO of BT’s (EE) UK Consumer broadband and mobile division, Marc Allera, is attempting to resuscitate the age-old debate over Net Neutrality (i.e. treating all internet traffic on their networks equally) by calling for the rules to be changed because “there are very good reasons to enable preferential access to certain platforms.”

Vodafone UK Says it’s Unable to Offer Free BBC Bitesize Access

20th January, 2021 (22 Comments)

Mobile operator Vodafone has said that they won’t be following EE’s (inc. Plusnet and BT) lead by offering free data (mobile broadband) access to BBC Bitesize (education) content during the latest COVID-19 lockdown because it is “not possible,” at least not without applying the same rule to the whole of the BBC’s UK website.

Three UK Scraps Go Binge for Unlimited 4G and 5G Streaming UPDATE

2nd October, 2020 (51 Comments)

Mobile operator Three UK has suddenly decided to remove their popular “Go Binge” service from new 4G and 5G based mobile plans, which previously gave customers access to unlimited data (mobile broadband) when streaming from popular video, music and social media sites (Netflix, Snapchat, Deezer etc.).