Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Ofcom Regulation (1791 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Ofcom Regulation

ASA UK Says Broadband ISP Speed Complaints Have Dropped by Half

27th January, 2016 (0 Comments)

It’s nearly four years since the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) first introduced tougher rules to tackle misleading promotions of broadband ISP speed (here) and the organisation seems unlikely to toughen its stance again, especially with related complaints falling by half. Meanwhile Ofcom’s new speed rules are about to be enforced.

Ofcom UK Introduces New Business Broadband Speed Code of Practice

26th January, 2016 (1 Comment)

The national UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today introduced a new Voluntary Code of Practice that has been specifically designed to help give UK businesses more accurate and reliable information on the broadband speeds they should receive from ISPs.

BAD NEWS for BT as 121 Cross-party UK MPs Call for Openreach Split

23rd January, 2016 (101 Comments)

The Government itself might still have big doubts about the merits of splitting BT from control of their national phone and broadband network (Openreach), but a new report backed by 121 cross-party MPs has supported separation to boost performance and competition in the UK telecoms market.

Alarm and Acceptance – Broadband ISPs React to New Advertising Rules

23rd January, 2016 (2 Comments)

Internet providers from across the United Kingdom have today given a deeply divided reaction to the recent proposals from Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority, which among other things could soon force providers to combine the cost of broadband and line rental (phone) into a single price.

LSE Analyst – BT and EE Merger May Entice Ofcom to Split Openreach

20th January, 2016 (28 Comments)

A researcher for the London School of Economics (LSE) has warned that the recently approved £12.5bn merger between fixed line telecoms giant BT and mobile operator EE may “change the competitive balance of the UK communications landscape” and challenge Ofcom’s approach to regulation.

Sky Broadband and Virgin Media Come Top in Ofcom Satisfaction Study

15th January, 2016 (15 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulatory has today published a new study of consumer satisfaction with fixed line broadband, phone, pay TV and mobile providers, which surveyed thousands of consumers between July and September 2015 to reveal that Sky Broadband is the highest rated of all the big ISPs.

Council of Europe Sets Out Net Neutrality Guidelines for Broadband ISPs

14th January, 2016 (1 Comment)

The Council of Europe has today issued a set of “network neutrality guidelines” that call for mobile and broadband providers to treat Internet traffic equally, without discrimination or restriction, and for member states (e.g. UK) to support this via the “development of national legal frameworks“.

Former BT CEO Ben Verwaayen Confirmed to Join Ofcom’s Board

14th January, 2016 (6 Comments)

Ofcom has confirmed the appointment of former BT CEO Ben Verwaayen to the position of non-executive director on their board, which comes just ahead of the Strategic Review that will decide whether or not BT should be separated from control of their national UK broadband and phone network.

Ofcom Pressure – UK ISP Sky Broadband Extends Sky Talk Deadline

11th January, 2016 (2 Comments)

Last year’s move by Sky Broadband to swap their existing Sky Talk (voice calls) customers, including those who received free calls at no extra cost, on to a new paid package (presumed consent) did not go down well with everybody (here). But a little pressure from Ofcom appears to have helped.

Dinner Lady Wins Compensation from UK ISP Unicom After 2 Year Battle

11th January, 2016 (2 Comments)

A dinner lady from Sheffield (England) has finally ended a two year battle with telecoms and broadband provider Unicom (Universal Utilities / VERASTAR) by receiving compensation of £718.35, after the ISP initially denied ever having offered her a service with “no termination fee“.

Ofcom Tries to Resolve Vodafone Complaint of Unfair BT Ethernet Delays

8th January, 2016 (2 Comments)

The national UK telecoms regulator has ruled that BTOpenreach does in some cases appear be in breach of several obligations because of the way that it delayed the provision of certain Ethernet (high-capacity data line) services to Vodafone, although the issue of compensation may be harder to resolve.

UK ISPA and ITSPA Adopt Ombudsman Services for Consumer Complaints

8th January, 2016 (3 Comments)

The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) and Internet Telephony Services Providers Association (ITSPA) have officially swapped their Ofcom approved consumer complaints handler (ADR) scheme from CISAS to Ombudsman Services.

UK Competition Regulator to Examine BT’s Superfast Broadband Prices

6th January, 2016 (5 Comments)

Opposing appeals by both BT and TalkTalk against the approach taken last year by Ofcom’s new “margin squeeze” test, which is designed to keep the incumbent operator’s FTTC “fibre broadband” prices under control, have today been referred to the Competition and Markets Authority.

Ofcom Attempts to Lure Former BT CEO Ben Verwaayen to its Board

31st December, 2015 (0 Comments)

The endless debate over whether or not the national UK telecoms regulator will separate BT from control of Openreach has introduced another twist after it was revealed that Ofcom are attempting to lure Ben Verwaayen in for a directorship position on their board.

Examining the Changing Cost of UK Phone Line Rental and its Future

30th December, 2015 (21 Comments)

Home phone lines aren’t as popular as they once were, with consumers increasingly turning to mobile and VoIP (e.g. Skype) alternatives. At the same time ISPs have been gutting free voice call options from related broadband bundles and yet despite all of this the price of line rental continues to soar.

UK Home Broadband ISP Users Shun Adult Internet Content Filters

16th December, 2015 (6 Comments)

A new report from Ofcom has revealed that the vast majority of fixed line home broadband ISP subscribers have, after being given an “enforced” choice, chosen not to implement their provider’s network-level filtering (Parental Controls), which are designed to block adult websites (porn etc.).

Ofcom Name the Worst UK Mobile, Phone and Broadband ISPs – Q3 2015

15th December, 2015 (7 Comments)

The telecoms regulator has today published their latest Q3 2015 complaints report, which reveals the volume of gripes received for all of the United Kingdom’s largest broadband, phone, mobile and TV providers. As usual EE takes a beating, while Sky Broadband and Virgin Media win praise.