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Articles for Category Tag - Politics

UPDATE Gov Amend UK Digital Economy Bill to Protect Openreach Pensions

15th March, 2017 (4 Comments)

As expected the Government has today tabled an amendment to their Digital Economy Bill 2017, which will work to maintain the Crown Guarantee for members of BT’s Pension Scheme (BTPS) as part of Openreach’s separation from the main group.

UPDATE4 Ofcom and BT Reach Voluntary Agreement on Openreach’s Future

10th March, 2017 (64 Comments)

After an exhausting year of disagreements it’s today been announced that BT and the UK telecoms regulator have finally reached an agreement on the future of the operator’s network access division, which means that Ofcom won’t need to force through Openreach’s “legal separation“.

UPDATE3 UK Budget 2017 – 5G and £200m More for Full Fibre Broadband

8th March, 2017 (9 Comments)

The Government’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond MP, has today given his first major Budget 2017 speech and announced several improvements for broadband connectivity in the United Kingdom, including boosts for 5G Mobile and another £200m for “full-fibre” (FTTH/P) networks.

Matt Warman MP Attacks ISPs for Advertising Misleading Broadband Speeds

7th March, 2017 (17 Comments)

The Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness, Matt Warman, has accused ISPs of being “complicit in fraud” for the way they advertise broadband speeds in the United Kingdom and has called a Westminster Hall event to debate the issue at 4.30pm tomorrow. He also wants “fibre” to only mean FTTP/H ISPs.

Christchurch and East Dorset UK Councils Hint at New Broadband Vouchers

6th March, 2017 (0 Comments)

The Christchurch and East Dorset Councils have confirmed that they intend to launch a new Broadband Voucher Scheme in April 2017, which will be aimed at helping local businesses to get a “superfast broadband” connection installed.

UK Drops to 7th Place in 2017 EU Broadband Connectivity Progress Report

3rd March, 2017 (1 Comment)

The European Commission has released their 2017 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which uses data from 2016 to reveal the United Kingdom’s progress towards the EU’s Digital Agenda goals (e.g. NGA 30Mbps+ broadband for all by 2020). Sadly we’ve dropped from 6th to 7th place.

Human Rights Group Liberty Takes UK ISP Internet Snooping Law to Court

2nd March, 2017 (15 Comments)

Some £53,313 worth of donations from 1,861 people have this week enabled Liberty, a prominent Human Rights group, has launched a legal challenge against the Government’s controversial mass Internet surveillance powers in the new Investigatory Powers Act.

New UK Digital Strategy Sees Government Reiterate Broadband and 5G Pledges

1st March, 2017 (1 Comment)

The Government has today set out their future Digital Strategy for the United Kingdom, which aims to “create a world-leading digital economy” and “deliver world-class connectivity” but most of their broadband infrastructure commitments are re-announcements of existing policy.

UK Government Preps New Rural Business Broadband Voucher Scheme

27th February, 2017 (8 Comments)

Several Government MPs have hinted that the forthcoming 2017 Budget announcement on the 8th March will see a rural-focused reincarnation of the Connection Voucher scheme, which gifted grants of up to £3,000 to help smaller UK businesses get a superfast broadband (30Mbps+) service installed.

UK Government Puts Broadband ISP Internet Snooping Measure ON HOLD

24th February, 2017 (9 Comments)

The Government’s effort to force broadband ISPs into logging a much bigger slice of all your Internet activity, irrespective of whether or not you’re even suspected of a crime, has been partially put on hold as a result of last year’s related ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Full List of Approved UK ISPs for the 2Mbps Better Broadband Subsidy

23rd February, 2017 (3 Comments)

Better late than never. The Department for Culture, Media & Sport has published a useful list of ISP suppliers for their rural focused Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme, which offers a subsidy worth around £350 to properties that struggle to receive a minimum download speed of 2Mbps.

UK House of Lords Vote for 30Mbps Broadband USO with 6Mbps Uploads

22nd February, 2017 (59 Comments)

The Government’s Digital Economy Bill linked proposal to introduce a 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation for broadband has taken an interesting twist today after the House of Lords approved a radical proposal, which raises the minimum download speed to 30Mbps (6Mbps upload).

CEO of the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK Project Bids Farewell

22nd February, 2017 (9 Comments)

The CEO of the Government’s state aid fuelled Broadband Delivery UK programme, which is working to roll-out “superfast broadband” (24Mbps+) networks to 97% of premises by 2020, Christopher Townsend, has decided to leave in order to take up a position as Commercial Director for Chelsea FC.

£25K Business Broadband Grants for Herefordshire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire

22nd February, 2017 (0 Comments)

A new voucher scheme has been launched for businesses in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Gloucestershire and the Borough of Telford & Wrekin (England), which offers local SMEs up to £25,000 to help fund the installation of a 30Mbps+ “superfast” Next Generation Access (NGA) broadband connection.

EE Reveal “Air Mast” 4G Drones and Balloons to Help Connect UK Rural Areas

21st February, 2017 (11 Comments)

Mobile operator EE (BT) has today revealed details of their new Rapid Response Vehicles, balloons and drone based “Air Mast” technology, which will all be used to help keep their 4G (LTE) network running in remote communities (e.g. during disasters, network outages or to help emergency services).

Leeds City Council Moot FREE Home Broadband for Disadvantaged Adults

20th February, 2017 (9 Comments)

The Leeds City Council in Yorkshire (England) has proposed a new scheme that could generate £45m for the local economy over the next 10 years and help “thousands” of “digitally excluded” adults by giving them access to free home broadband connections, wifi and Tablet computers.

New UK Internet Snooping Law Confusion Hits the London Internet Exchange

20th February, 2017 (2 Comments)

The new Investigatory Powers Act has been blamed for encouraging the London Internet Exchange to allegedly consider the introduction of a new constitution that would allow secret surveillance orders and gag directors from talking about it. But LINX says the claims are “highly misleading“.