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Articles for Category Tag - Ofcom Regulation

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Operators Dispute Ofcom’s Proposed UK Corrections to Mobile Spectrum Fees

8th April, 2025 (5 Comments)

Mobile networks operators including EE (BT), O2 (Virgin Media), Vodafone and Three UK have warned that Ofcom’s proposals to change the cost of Annual Licence Fees (ALF) in the 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz radio spectrum bands – used to support 2G, 3G and 4G mobile (mobile broadband) services – still do not reflect reality.

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Amazon to Launch First 27 Project Kuiper Broadband Satellites

3rd April, 2025 (2 Comments)

Online shopping giant Amazon has confirmed that they will attempt to launch their first batch of 27 ultrafast broadband satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for Project Kuiper on Wednesday next week (9th April 2025) – mission “KA-01“. But it will take a further 79 launches before the new global mega constellation is fully completed.

Ofcom Find 5 Percent of UK People Do NOT Have Home Internet Access

3rd April, 2025 (23 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has published new research into internet adoption and digital disadvantage, which among other things estimates that 2.8 million people (5% of the UK population) do not have internet access (broadband etc.) at home. But 69% of those unlikely to get access in the next 12 months said this was because they had “no need” or were “not interested” in it.

Councils Streetwave is Mapping in the UK

Streetwave Data Casts Doubt on Ofcom’s 4G UK Mobile Coverage Claims UPDATE

2nd April, 2025 (10 Comments)

Network analyst firm Streetwave, which is harnessing bin lorries to map the coverage and performance of 4G and 5G mobile (broadband) networks across 113 UK councils, has said its data “calls into question” Ofcom’s claim that 88-89% of the UK’s landmass (geographic coverage) can access a 4G network if you look across all operators.

Housing Search and UK Broadband Under Magnifying Glass

Wales Adopts Rules to Ensure New Build Homes Get Gigabit Broadband

1st April, 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).

UK Mobile Operators Attempt to Dismiss GBP3.3bn Overcharging Case

1st April, 2025 (14 Comments)

Mobile operators including EE (BT), Vodafone, Three UK and O2 (Virgin Media) yesterday attempted to dismiss a class action claim worth “at least” £3.285bn. The case, brought by consumer rights champion Justin Gutmann and law firm Charles Lyndon, accuses the operators of overcharging for mobile handsets beyond the end of their contractual term.

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Ofcom Propose to Authorise Satellites to Deliver UK 4G and 5G Mobile

25th March, 2025 (10 Comments)

The telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today done as expected by proposing for the UK to become the “first country in Europe” to authorise Direct to Device (D2D) satellite services for use in regular mobile bands, which could be used to help mobile operators improve their 4G and 5G coverage.

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

25th March, 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.

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

20th March, 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.

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Ofcom to Launch Improved UK Mobile Coverage Checker Later in 2025

18th March, 2025 (8 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, this week informed ISPreview that they’ve been “working hard to overhaul our mobile coverage checker” in order to better match people’s real-world experiences, particularly of modern 4G and 5G (mobile broadband) services, and intend to launch the result of all their work “later this year“.

Mobile Coverage in Worcestershire UK is 1000x Worse Than Ofcom Suggests UPDATE

15th March, 2025 (28 Comments)

The Worcestershire County Council (WCC) in England has revealed the results of a recent study they conducted with Streetwave, which harnessed local bin lorries to map the coverage and performance of 4G and 5G mobile (broadband) networks across the county. Overall, it claims to have found that mobile coverage is “over 1,000 times worse than Ofcom and mobile operator data suggests“.

TOTSCo to Begin Testing of UK Business Broadband ISP Switching in June 2025

14th March, 2025 (3 Comments)

The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo), which is the industry-led company that is helping to implement Ofcom’s solution (One Touch Switching) for easier and quicker UK consumer switching between broadband and phone providers, has revealed that they’ll start testing a switching solution for businesses by the “end of June” 2025.

Ofcom Propose Part of 1900MHz Band for 5G Mobile on UK Rail Network

10th March, 2025 (8 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today proposed to make part of the 1900MHz radio spectrum band (1900-1920MHz), which was previously awarded for mobile operators but has since gone unused, available for use by both the UK’s rail network (5G mobile / broadband services) and to extend coverage for the 4G Emergency Services Network (ESN).

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Confusion Surrounds Sky UK’s Position on End of Contract TV Notifications

10th March, 2025 (19 Comments)

Ofcom’s rules require that all “phone, broadband and pay-TV providers” must “warn customers when their current contract is ending, and what they could save by signing up to a new deal” (usually sent between 10-40 days before the end of your contract). But an ongoing legal challenge makes the situation for customers of Sky TV a bit more confusing.

INCA Calls on UK Gov to Focus on Full Fibre in New Industrial Strategy

6th March, 2025 (4 Comments)

The Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA), which represents many of the UK’s alternative gigabit broadband operators, has today called on the UK government to ensure that their future Industrial Strategy “prioritises digital infrastructure“. The group wants this to be supported by a national campaign to promote full fibre-adoption, among other things.

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Spectrum Policy Forum Says AI Can Help Ofcom Manage UK Radio Waves

27th February, 2025 (4 Comments)

A new study from the cross-industry UK Spectrum Policy Forum (UKSPF), which was conducted by Smith Institute and Spectrivity, has recommended that the telecoms regulator, Ofcom, should adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to help manage the nation’s finite wireless radio spectrum more efficiently.

TOTSCo Clarifies Status of Change Freeze in UK ISP Switching Process

24th February, 2025 (5 Comments)

The industry-led One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo), which is the central messaging platform for implementing Ofcom’s recently launched (Sept 2024) solution for easier and quicker consumer switching between broadband and phone providers (One Touch Switching), has caused some head scratching after clarifying the status of a key change freeze.