Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Net Neutrality (108 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Net Neutrality

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.).

EU Court Ruling Challenges Mobile Operators Zero Rating Plans UPDATE

15th September, 2020 (18 Comments)

A new ruling by Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has today, for the first time, interpreted the EU regulation enshrining “internet neutrality” (this was also adopted in the UK), which appears to restrict mobile and broadband operators when offering zero rating plans (i.e. unlimited data on certain services).

ISP UK Internet Porn Ban Stalled and Shifted to Online Harms Bill

16th October, 2019 (6 Comments)

Confusion reigns today after the Government confirmed that its controversial new internet Age Verification (AV) system, which was due to be implemented by commercial websites and “apps” that contain pornographic content (broadband ISPs would be forced to block sites that fail to comply), “will not be commencing.” But there’s a catch.

EU and UK ISPs Oppose Moves to Ban End-to-End Encryption

7th October, 2019 (9 Comments)

A demand for Facebook and other companies to delay or cease plans for implementing end-to-end encryption across their internet messaging services, which was made by the UK, USA and Australian governments, has today prompted the European ISP Association (EuroISPA) to “oppose” any weakening of encryption.

Ofcom Probe EE and Sky Mobile for Possible Breaches of Net Neutrality

10th July, 2019 (12 Comments)

Ofcom UK has today said that they’re currently probing two zero rated services from EE (‘Music and Video Passes’) and Sky Mobile (‘Sky Watch’) over possible breaches of the EU’s rules for protecting Net Neutrality (i.e. there must be no serious blocking or slowing of access to legal websites or internet services).

UK ISP Internet Porn Ban DELAYED AGAIN Due to Gov Admin Error

20th June, 2019 (11 Comments)

The Government’s controversial new internet age verification system, which was due to be implemented by commercial websites and “apps” that contain pornographic content (broadband ISPs would be forced to block sites that fail to comply), has once again been delayed and will not now be enforced from 15th July 2019.

Ofcom Encourages UK ISPs to Self-Assess Traffic Management Practices

16th May, 2019 (0 Comments)

Ofcom has closed an enforcement programme that was setup to examine the Traffic Management practices of broadband ISPs and mobile operators, which was done to test compliance with the EU’s Open Internet Access (net neutrality) and Roaming Regulations. Instead they’ve published a framework to help providers “self-assess proactively.”

Government Sets Tough Age Verification Rules for Internet Porn Ban

17th April, 2019 (49 Comments)

The UK Government has sent final terms to Age Verification Providers for the related BBFC certification scheme, which sets strict rules for how such providers must verify a user’s age before allowing them to access a porn site. As before, broadband ISPs must block websites that fail to comply. The system will begin in July 2019.