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Articles for Category Tag - Politics

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Gov Consult on Reform of UK Planning Rules to Boost Broadband and 5G Builds

18th December, 2025 (5 Comments)

The Government has today published a new consultation on reforming planning rules, which is seeking feedback on whether they should further change planning rules and update policy guidance to help “accelerate the deployment” of digital infrastructure (full fibre broadband and 5G mobile etc.).

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36,000 North Lanarkshire Council Tenants to Get Gigabit Broadband

17th December, 2025 (2 Comments)

The North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) in Scotland has announced that they intend top roll-out “ultrafast broadband” connectivity across “all social housing” within the local authority (council documents suggest the goal is for speeds of 1Gbps), which is aimed at closing the authority’s digital divide, while improving access to knowledge, skills and jobs.

Fibrus Win Project Gigabit Broadband Contract for 9,000 N.Ireland Premises

16th December, 2025 (2 Comments)

The Northern Irish Department for the Economy (DfE) has today announced that they’ve awarded the £34.6m (public subsidy) Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract to alternative network ISP Fibrus, which will be tasked with extending their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to reach 9,000 of the hardest to reach rural homes and businesses.

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National Wealth Fund to Change Funding Strategy After UK Broadband Challenges

16th December, 2025 (2 Comments)

The National Wealth Fund (NWF), which was originally established by the previous government in 2021 as the UK Infrastructure Bank (here) – using public investment to help unlock more private funding for infrastructure projects, looks set to change its funding strategy in 2026 after experiencing “challenges” in certain sectors, such as broadband infrastructure (altnets).

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Gov to Give UK Leaseholders Right to Request Gigabit Broadband in Flats UPDATE2

15th December, 2025 (20 Comments)

The Government has today published a new consultation on measures that aim to create a new right for leaseholders, such as those living in blocks of flats / apartments (Multi-Dwelling Units), to request a gigabit broadband connection. In addition, freeholders will face a new duty not to “unreasonably refuse” such requests from tenants. But finding the right balance will be difficult.

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Lords Report Warns Delays in Building Safety Process Hurting UK Broadband Upgrade

11th December, 2025 (3 Comments)

A new report from the cross-party House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has warned that “unacceptable” delays caused by the Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) approval processes are leaving residents waiting for remediation of dangerous cladding in unsafe buildings, causing increased costs for leaseholders and also impacting the roll-out of new digital infrastructure.

Gov Confirm “No Plans” to BAN Mid-Contract UK Broadband and Mobile Price Hikes

10th December, 2025 (52 Comments)

The Government has clarified that it has “no plans to ban in-contract price rises” for UK consumers taking broadband, mobile and phone services, which makes their recent push to have Ofcom’s CEO, Dame Melanie Dawes, “look at in-contract price rises again“ seem increasingly unlikely to result in any big changes.

Government Launch 80 Free Local Digital Skills Training Schemes Across UK

10th December, 2025 (0 Comments)

The Government has today complemented their Digital Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) by launching 80 local schemes across the UK, which will offer free digital skills training and other support to help some of the most vulnerable in communities get online with confidence (i.e. disadvantaged young people to elderly people and the homeless etc.).

Broadband Altnet Fibrus Expand UK Full Fibre Network to 450,000 Premises

8th December, 2025 (6 Comments)

Infracapital-backed alternative broadband ISP Fibrus, which is building a full fibre network across parts of Cumbria (England) and has already completed one in Northern Ireland, have revealed that their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure now covers a total of 450,000 UK premises (up from 440k in Sept 2025).

Building Digital UK Agency to Change CEO in 2026 as Dean Creamer Exits

5th December, 2025 (5 Comments)

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) organisation, which has responsibility for delivering gigabit broadband and better mobile connectivity across the nation (e.g. the £5bn Project Gigabit and Shared Rural Network schemes), have confirmed that existing boss (CEO) Dean Creamer is to be moved into a new role – his last day will be 9th January 2026.

Quickline Build Full Fibre to 10,600 Extra UK Premises Under Project Gigabit Contract

3rd December, 2025 (1 Comment)

Rural broadband ISP Quickline, which is building a new gigabit-capable full fibre (FTTP) and wireless (FWA) broadband network across rural parts of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in England (3-Year Rollout Plan), has today announced that they’ve now covered 10,610 premises as part of their publicly subsidised Project Gigabit contract.

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Openreach Join New NUAR Digital UK Map of Underground Cables and Pipes

3rd December, 2025 (4 Comments)

The UK’s largest broadband network operator, Openreach (BT), has officially joined the new Government-backed National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which is often described as being a “secure” digital map of underground UK pipes and cables (broadband, water etc.) that is partly designed to help reduce accidental damage.

Cellnex UK Deploys Small Cells to Tackle Mobile Notspots in Harrow

2nd December, 2025 (2 Comments)

Wireless infrastructure firm Cellnex UK has today announced that they’ve partnered with the Harrow Council in London to deploy Small Cell technology across the Borough’s street furniture, which will target 4G and 5G mobile (mobile broadband) connectivity “blackspots” around high streets and transport hubs.

Virgin Media UK Fined £23.8m Over Poorly Handled Digital Phone Migrations

1st December, 2025 (20 Comments)

Broadband ISP and phone provider Virgin Media (O2) has today been hit with a £23.8 million fine by telecoms regulator Ofcom, which occurred after they were found to have “failed to protect vulnerable telecare customers” during their programme to migrate them from analogue phone services to IP-based digital landlines.

Court Rejects L1 Compensation Appeal Over Forced Sale of UK Broadband Network Upp

29th November, 2025 (4 Comments)

The Court of Appeal in London has dismissed an attempt by investment firm LetterOne (L1), which had been seeking compensation after the previous Government used the new National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA) to force them into selling Upp’s full fibre broadband network to rival operator nexfibre at a loss (retail customers went to Virgin Media).

Chair of ISPA Steve Leighton on Solving the UK’s Full Fibre Take-up Problem

27th November, 2025 (34 Comments)

The Strategic Advisor for fibre supplier Altnets and Chair of the UK Internet Service Provider’s Association (ISPA), Steve Leighton, has made a number of recommendations on how he believes the broadband sector can address one of its “most pressing challenges” – low adoption of full-fibre services despite expanding network coverage.

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Autumn UK Budget 2025 Brings Little New for Broadband and Mobile UPDATE

26th November, 2025 (3 Comments)

The Chancellor of the UK Government, Rachel Reeves MP, has today announced her Autumn 2025 Budget and there appears to be no current sign of anything significantly new for broadband and mobile infrastructure (except an update on pushing gigabit broadband into MDUs). In addition, there’s no indication that any of the recent calls for targeted business rates relief on digital infrastructure have been heeded.