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Articles for Category Tag - Politics

SSE Enterprise Telecoms Sets Out its 2018 Predictions for UK Networks

23rd January, 2018 (8 Comments)

The enterprise division of SSE Enterprise Telecoms has today set out its list of predictions for the major trends that could affect UK telecoms in 2018, which focuses on the rise of alternative network providers, greater access to fibre optic cables, more preparation for future 5G Mobile and so forth.

UK and Scottish Governments Row Over Superfast Broadband AGAIN

20th January, 2018 (7 Comments)

A sense of the familiar could be felt toward the end of last year, when the UK and Scottish Government’s first locked horns over the coverage levels of “superfast broadband.” Now they’re at it again after Scotland claimed to have achieved the 95% “fibre broadband” coverage target, but there’s a problem.

Openreach Takes Flak for Unfinished Wales Fibre Broadband Rollout

16th January, 2018 (27 Comments)

The Assembly Member for Ceredigion in Wales, Elin Jones, has accused Openreach (BT) of walking away from rural communities in her county after the operator left a roll-out of “fibre broadband” (FTTC/P) technology unfinished in the village of Oakford and possibly other locations.

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce Calls for 100Mbps Broadband Everywhere

10th January, 2018 (10 Comments)

The Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, which touts itself as being the voice of local businesses in that corner of South East England, has called on the UK Government to deliver 10 times faster broadband speeds than those being pledged as part of the 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation (USO) for 2020.

Government Appoints New UK Digital Minister to Oversee Broadband

9th January, 2018 (12 Comments)

After a night of reshuffling the Government has today appointed Margot James MP to be its new Minister of State for Digital. Meanwhile the role’s previous occupant, Matt Hancock, has replaced Karen Bradley as the Secretary of State for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

UK Government Admits Internet Porn Ban Flawed – Continues Anyway

5th January, 2018 (15 Comments)

The Government’s Digital Minister, Matt Hancock, has quietly signed-off on a controversial impact assessment for the new Age Verification system, which underpins their plan to force all UK broadband ISPs into blocking websites that contain pornographic content (unless they use age verification).

UPD Gov Target 1Gbps WiFi and Mobile Broadband on All UK Mainline Trains

27th December, 2017 (5 Comments)

The Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will tomorrow at 9am begin a new ‘Call for Evidence’ on proposals that could help to make WiFi and Mobile (5G) broadband speeds of 1Gbps available onboard all UK mainline train routes by 2025.

Councils Issue 500 Gigabit Broadband Vouchers to UK Businesses

22nd December, 2017 (4 Comments)

Business ISP WarwickNet claims to be one of the first to issue a Gigabit Broadband Voucher under the Government’s new £2m pilot, which offers vouchers worth up to £3,000 to help businesses in four parts of the UK to get a 1000Mbps+ capable broadband service installed.

UK Government MPs Try to Revive Option of Breaking Up BT to Aid Broadband

21st December, 2017 (17 Comments)

Newspaper reports have claimed that the Government may be reconsidering the option of completely separating telecoms giant BT from its UK broadband network business (Openreach), which is an approach that Ofcom rejected earlier this year (here) in favour of the less dramatic “legal separation” approach.

UPD Gov Reject BT Voluntary 10Mbps UK Broadband USO and Goes Regulatory

20th December, 2017 (91 Comments)

After a final consultation (here) the Government has today revealed its chosen path for implementing a new legally-binding Universal Service Obligation (USO), which promises a minimum broadband download speed of 10Mbps (1Mbps upload) for all by 2020 and rejects BT’s £600m voluntary proposal.

Scotland Publish Tender for Universal R100 Superfast Broadband Rollout

19th December, 2017 (14 Comments)

As expected the Scottish Government has published the OJEU procurement document for their £600 million R100 programme, which aspires to extend superfast broadband (30Mbps+) networks to cover 100% of premises in Scotland (UK) by the end of 2021 (or March 2022 as a financial year).

UK Government Updates on 5G Mobile Rollout Strategy and Trials

19th December, 2017 (0 Comments)

The Government has today issued an update on the progress of their 5G strategy, which aims to help foster the UK roll-out of next generation ultrafast Mobile Broadband technology. As part of that they’ve launched a new call for evidence to understand “what makes investing in [full fibre] and 5G attractive.”

OECD Pegs Satellite as a Solution for Poor Rural Broadband Connectivity

19th December, 2017 (6 Comments)

A new report from the OECD has highlighted how a number of new developments could help to make Satellite broadband a more viable connectivity solution for bringing high speed internet access to remote rural parts of the UK and various other countries around the world. But it’s by no means perfect.

ICMR 2017 – Ofcom Compares UK Broadband and Mobile to 16 Countries

18th December, 2017 (8 Comments)

Market regulator Ofcom has today published its International Communications Market Report 2017, which compares broadband and other telecoms services in the United Kingdom against 16 other countries. The UK fairs well for 30Mbps+ broadband coverage but our “full fibre” (FTTP/H) needs work.

Scotland Commit £600m for 100% Coverage of 30Mbps Broadband

14th December, 2017 (16 Comments)

The Scottish Government has today confirmed that it plans to spend £600 million on gap funding for their R100 programme, which aims to make a superfast broadband (30Mbps+) capable network available to 100% of Scotland by the end of 2021 (March 2022 when viewing as a financial year).

Ofcom UK Appoints Lord (Terry) Burns to be its New Chairman

14th December, 2017 (2 Comments)

The British economist and former Chairman of Channel 4, Lord Burns (Terence Burns), has today officially been named as the new chairman of telecoms and media regulator Ofcom. Lord Burns will take up the position on 1st January 2018 after Dame Patricia Hodgson steps down.

Wireless ISP Boundless Networks Becomes Supplier of UK Full Fibre Vouchers

12th December, 2017 (1 Comment)

In an interesting development fixed wireless ISP Boundless Networks has today won approval registered to become a supplier for the Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which is being supported by the £200m Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) programme.