Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Ofcom Regulation (1766 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Ofcom Regulation

Switching Study Claims 5 Million UK People Overpay for Broadband

7th January, 2021 (19 Comments)

A new survey of 3,000 UK adults has estimated that around 5.38 million households who are out of contract with their current fixed broadband ISP have been discouraged from switching provider due to a lack of confidence in the process, which it’s claimed could result in related users “overpaying” to the tune of £804m (total).

ISPs Exponential-e, Connexin and Fibre Me Plan UK FTTP Rollout

22nd December, 2020 (0 Comments)

New documents from the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, have revealed that three existing and new internet providers – Exponential-e, Connexin and Fibre Me – all appear to be planning to build their own gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband networks in the near future.

Ofcom Ponder Regulated Social Tariff for UK Broadband and Mobile

18th December, 2020 (17 Comments)

Ofcom has published the results of new research into the affordability of consumer fixed broadband and mobile internet services, which finds that 19% of UK households (19%) – c.4.7 million homes – struggle to afford their telecoms services. Some 6% have difficulties paying for their broadband, while 5% struggle with mobile bills.

Connected Nations 2020 – UK Full Fibre Covers 5 Million Premises

17th December, 2020 (11 Comments)

Ofcom has published their annual Connection Nations infrastructure report, which reveals that “full fibre” (FTTP) broadband ISP networks now cover 18% of UK premises (up from 10% last year) and 27% are within reach of a “gigabit” (1Gbps+) service (7.9 million). Meanwhile geographic 4G cover is given as a range from 79% to 85%.

ISP Plusnet Misses Ofcom’s UK Broadband Speed Code Deadline UPDATE

14th December, 2020 (42 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today singled out internet provider Plusnet for failing to introduce a key part of their new Broadband Speed Code of Practice before the deadline, which among other things requires supporting ISPs to provide customers with live sync speeds for certain lines or premises served by Openreach.

Ofcom Hits BT with £6.3m Fine for Rule Breaking in N.Ireland UPDATE

11th December, 2020 (14 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today fined BT (Openreach) £6.3m after they were found to have “failed to meet regulatory obligations” during a tender for the recent £50m Northern Ireland Public Sector Shared Network contract in 2017/18. The decision follows a complaint made by rival company Eir.

BT to Continue Discount for Landline Only UK Phone Users

10th December, 2020 (5 Comments)

ISP BT has voluntarily proposed to Ofcom that the protection it handed to UK consumers who take their landline-only phone service in 2018 (i.e. lines without broadband), which among other things cut the monthly rental from £18.99 to £11.99, should be continued for a further 5 years. We can’t see that being rejected.

Ofcom See Average UK Broadband ISP Speeds Rise to 71.8Mbps

5th December, 2020 (40 Comments)

Ofcom has published a biannual update for their latest dataset on fixed broadband speeds, which among other things found that the average (mean) actual download speed of UK residential ISPs has increased from 64Mbps (14Mbps upload) in their May 2020 report (here) to 71.8Mbps (14.2Mbps) now.

Ofcom Consults on Future UK Spectrum Management Strategy

4th December, 2020 (0 Comments)

Ofcom UK has today launched a new consultation to help define their future spectrum management strategy for the 2020s, which among other things aims to boost support for localised spectrum access (e.g. creating local wireless networks via 5G etc.) and promote greater sharing of existing spectrum in higher frequencies.

Ofcom UK Rules Out Cost-Based Prices for Full Fibre Until 2031 UPDATE

3rd December, 2020 (5 Comments)

The CEO of Ofcom UK, Dame Melanie Dawes, today told the FTTH Council Europe that the regulator intends to give operators’ deploying “full fibre” (FTTP/B) broadband networks as much flexibility to build as possible and thus doesn’t “expect to introduce cost-based prices for fibre services until at least 2031.”

Gov Tightens Huawei 5G Mobile and FTTP Broadband Restrictions

30th November, 2020 (10 Comments)

In another telecoms policy surprise the UK Government has today announced that mobile operators, such as Three UK, EE (BT) and Vodafone, must stop installing “any” Huawei equipment in ultrafast 5G networks from the end of September 2021. A 35% cap on kit will also apply to FTTP and gigabit broadband from Jan 2023.

copper vs fibre optic openreach engineer

TalkTalk Considers Legal Action to Stop Openreach Price Rises

29th November, 2020 (48 Comments)

Budget UK phone and broadband ISP TalkTalk has reportedly approached Sky Broadband and Vodafone about the possibility of combining forces in a legal challenge to halt a key change in Ofcom’s Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review 2021-26 (FTMR), which could result in Openreach (BT) charging higher wholesale prices.

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New Bill Laid to BAN Huawei and Boost UK Telecoms Security

24th November, 2020 (12 Comments)

The Government will today publish their Telecommunications (Security) Bill, which imposes new rules to improve the security of UK networks (mobile and broadband) and ban “high risk vendors” like Huawei, while also threatening fines of up to £100k a day (or 10% of turnover) against operators that fail to meet the standard.

Ofcom Find Positive UK Progress on Openreach’s Split from BT

19th November, 2020 (9 Comments)

Ofcom has today broadly praised the progress that Openreach have made in their on-going efforts to become a distinct “legally separate” company away from BT, although not all stakeholders agree with the UK telecoms regulator and “growing pains” have also been noted with their Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product.

ISP BT Change Digital Voice Calling for Local UK Numbers

17th November, 2020 (30 Comments)

Broadband ISP BT appears to have begun informing customers about a “small” forthcoming change to their new Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) style ‘Digital Voice’ service (often supplied alongside FTTP or SOGEA based hybrid fibre packages), which will change how you dial when calling a local number.

House of Lords Committee Probes Online UK Freedom of Speech

16th November, 2020 (10 Comments)

The House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee has launched a new inquiry, which will examine whether or not freedom of expression is under threat online and, if so, how modern technology might be used to help protect it. The inquiry will also weigh that against how such freedoms should be balanced with other rights.

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Plusnet, Vodafone and EE Drag Feet Over Automatic Compensation

14th November, 2020 (29 Comments)

After almost 20 months of waiting it’s become increasingly disappointing to find that three of the UK home broadband ISPs that originally pledged their support to Ofcom’s new automatic compensation system for customers – Vodafone, Plusnet and EE – have yet to officially join the scheme.