Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Open access rail operator Lumo has announced that they’re working with satellite broadband operator Starlink to deploy faster “next-generation” Wi-Fi for passengers onboard their fleet of 100% electric East Coast Main Line trains in time for this Autumn (2026) – travelling between London King’s Cross, Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth, Edinburgh Falkirk and Glasgow.

The Starlink system will provide the backhaul data capacity for the new service via their mega constellation of ultrafast and low-latency broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The upgrade project will also be supported by train manufacturer, Hitachi, integrated connectivity provider Icomera and rolling stock lease provider Beacon Rail.

According to the announcement, the new system is designed to “provide faster, more reliable connectivity throughout customer journeys“, although it’s not clear how they plan to tackle tunnelled sections (some ECML tunnels have already benefitted from a 4G mobile system being deployed).

Paul Jackson, Head of Customer and Stakeholder Engagement, said:

“Providing a high-quality, reliable Wi-Fi experience is vital for our customers, whether they’re travelling for business or leisure. We know people want to stay connected and work effectively while onboard.

The introduction of Starlink technology on our East Coast Main Line services marks a significant step forward in connectivity. Working with Hitachi and Icomera, we’re committed to delivering a modern, seamless experience that helps customers get the most out of their journey with Lumo.”

Lumo has previously also demonstrated a 5G-enabled Wi-Fi solution on its new West Coast services, operating between London Euston and Stirling, one of few offerings of its kind in the UK rail industry. Credits to Jamie for the news tip.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

We’ve today published ISPreview’s first biannual study of the United Kingdom’s broadband download and upload speeds for 2026, which covers the first half of the year. The report reveals how the performance of the fastest fixed line internet providers, mobile network operators and Starlink (satellite) services has changed since the end of 2025

The results in this report stem from web-based speed testing by consumers and are thus inevitably impacted by a number of factors, such as the rising coverage of faster network technologies (e.g. full fibre and 5G mobile) and the level of take-up by consumers. Naturally, it helps to understand any key changes in network deployments around the study period, which is shown below using the latest data from Ofcom (here).

The biggest coverage improvements for fixed line services continue to come from full fibre broadband networks (Summary of UK FTTP Builds), although ongoing market pressures (high build costs, high interest rates, fierce competition etc.) have, on the flip side, resulted in many alternative operators (altnets) suffering job losses and a build slowdown or stall. But the Openreach, Quickline, Netomnia and a few others have kept a good pace of build.

Full fibre networks also remain the driving force behind the rise in gigabit-capable coverage, which continues to be predominantly fuelled by commercial roll-outs in urban areas. By comparison the Government’s £5bn Project Gigabit programme – specifically their Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy (GIS) contracts – have so far helped to upgrade 256,680 premises in hard to reach areas. The national goal is to expand gigabit coverage to c.99% of the UK by 2032 (delayed from the original 2030 target – here).

Finally, in terms of mobile networks, there have been further improvements in 4G and 5G (mobile broadband) coverage, especially the fastest 5G+ (Standalone) technology. Most of this stems from commercial investment, although the industry-led £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) project has continued to make gradual progress on boosting geographic 4G coverage (here); this is less impactful in population terms, as fewer people live in rural areas.

Fastest Major Fixed Broadband ISPs (H1 2026 vs H2 2025)

The data for this report has been gathered from Thinkbroadband’s independent database of speedtests (inc. ISPreview’s Broadband Speedtest). The first set of tables below only includes the largest and most established independent ISPs with strong national availability. But we have a separate table for smaller providers (inc. some altnets) on page 2 – these are difficult to include because such ISPs don’t produce much test data (fewer users).

Naturally, there are caveats to consider with speedtest based studies like this, not least because the results tend to be more impacted by take-up than network availability. For example, some ISPs may have a much larger proportion of customers on slower copper-based lines (ADSL or FTTC), which can weigh against those on faster FTTP services (i.e. pulling average speeds down). The opposite can also be true.

Average Download Speeds – Top 8

Average Upload Speeds – Top 8

Overall, the average download speed of the largest national providers was 100.8Mbps (up from 91.28Mbps) and the average upload speed hit 25.5Mbps (up from 21.21Mbps).

Now flick over to page 2 to continue this summary and see how the fastest satellite (starlink), mobile operators and smaller ISPs all performed.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The next generation family of terminals (dishes) from Starlink (SpaceX), which operates a mega constellation of low latency and ultrafast broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for the UK and the world, will feature – “for the first time” – the capability to communicate simultaneously with two satellites.

The service currently has around 10,650 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – mostly at altitudes of between c.340-550km. Residential customers in the UK currently pay from £40 a month for the Residential 100Mbps unlimited data plan (plus £10pm for the hardware), which also promises uploads of c.15-35Mbps and low latency connectivity (c.20ms). Faster packages exist at greater cost, while more restrictive (data capped) options also exist for roaming users (e.g. £55 per month for 100GB of data).

Regular readers will know that Starlink are currently preparing to launch their next gen family of terminals to customers, two of which were recently previewed by Elon Musk (here). Currently, we know these will be more compact and portable, with some models featuring USB-C ports and battery power. But the full details remain subject to some considerable speculation.

The latest development today comes from international connectivity provider and authorized reseller of Starlink, Neterra, which has announced that customers in 129 territories can benefit from discounts exceeding 15% on their Starlink terminals, while 99 territories now enjoy substantial reductions ranging from 50% to 80% on selected products.

However, in-between announcing such discounts, ISPreview noted that the company also let slip some new details about Starlink’s next-gen family of terminals.

Extract from Neterra’s Pricing Update

“Looking ahead, Neterra can also share an early glimpse into Starlink’s future roadmap. By the end of 2026, Starlink is expected to introduce a new family of satellite terminals featuring improved resilience and, for the first time, the capability to communicate simultaneously with two satellites … This advancement is expected to deliver greater connection stability and improved overall performance.”

At present the dish terminals that Starlink ships to customers are typically designed to connect to one satellite at a time. The dish is, however, designed to switch between different LEO satellites in milliseconds in order to provide seamless and continuous connectivity (it can also “see” several at once in its view of the sky), which does create a brief period where it may technically seem to be communicating with two satellites at once.

The ability to maintain a continuous connection with two satellites at once would mark a significant change and one that could provide a major performance boost for customers. The catch right now is that we don’t yet know whether this capability will be limited to a specific part of Starlink’s next gen terminal family (e.g. enterprise / military terminals) or if it’ll be available across all of them (consumers, business etc.).

Normally we might expect that such a capability would push up the power requirements of Starlink’s kit. But SpaceX’s focus on optimising the hardware, as well as the mentions of battery power for some models, does suggest that we might not need to be too concerned. On the flip side, Starlink’s service has become significantly more expensive over the past month.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Good news. After years of waiting, broadband and mobile provider EE (BT) has finally made it easier for online customers on their top fastest 1.Gbps speed full fibre package, which is supplied via Openreach’s national Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network, to bundle it with the provider’s Pay TV products.

Just to recap. Back in October 2023 EE became the first UK ISP to launch (here) a package based off Openreach’s 1.8Gbps FTTP broadband tier (1.6Gbps is the advertised average). But the introduction initially came with some caveats, one of which was the annoying fact that the retail provider couldn’t bundle their pay TV product with the 1.6Gbps package (here).

Quite why this was proving to be such a problem has long remained unclear, although things began to change last year after EE started to make pay TV available with a 1.6Gbps broadband plan, albeit only if you contacted one of their call centres directly.

The more recent change, as spotted by several of EE’s customers (credits to Kenneth and Chris), is that the option to add the pay TV service to this plan has now become available via the provider’s App (online). In short, EE has recently been extending availability across additional customer journeys as part of ongoing updates.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

O2 has carried out a proof-of-concept trial using cutting-edge technology designed to improve phone calls for customers with hearing loss.

The operator partnered with cloud-native network software provider, Mavenir, to test the capability which works seamlessly in the background. Participants use their existing phone and number as usual, with the technology working to improve call clarity by tailoring the call audio to their individual hearing needs in real time.

Participants first completed a short, automated hearing test to identify how they perceive different sound frequencies. This generated a personalised hearing profile, securely linked to their mobile number, enabling the technology to adapt how speech is delivered during calls, so conversations are clearer and easier to follow.

Unlike device-based accessibility features or third-party apps, the optimisation took place within O2’s network, allowing participants to make and receive calls as normal while benefiting from clearer, more intelligible audio.

Following the trial, nearly 90% of participants reported improvements in call clarity, helping conversations feel easier to follow and leading to fewer misunderstandings. Participants also noted reduced listening effort and a more natural calling experience.

While still at an early stage, the proof-of-concept trial demonstrates how network-based technology could help improve accessibility and everyday communication for people with hearing loss.

Mary Higgins, who is profoundly deaf and took part in the trial, said: “I usually find phone calls tiring and stressful, even with hearing aids. Making a call without them is almost impossible. Using the technology was a completely different experience, as I could hear clearly without my hearing aids and didn’t need to keep asking people to repeat themselves.”

Jorge Ribeiro, Director of Core Networks, Virgin Media O2, said: “For many people with hearing loss, making a phone call can be a difficult and frustrating experience. This trial is about using the intelligence within our network to improve that experience without asking customers to do anything differently. We are encouraged by the early results from this proof-of-concept and are excited to explore how this type of technology could support more accessible services for our customers in future.”

Brandon Larson, SVP & General Manager, Cloud, AI & IMS Business Strategy, Mavenir, said: “Core networks are a powerful platform for innovation of services and delivering new value to customers. Our partnership with Virgin Media O2 in improving the call experience for their customers with hearing loss is a great example of that”.

ow is AI supercharging the UK’s digital economy? Join the discussions at Connected Britain 2026

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The post O2 and Mavenir build personalised audio support for customers with hearing loss appeared first on Total Telecom.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Telecoms giant BT has today announced the Business Park Full Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) Project, which reflects the signing of a new contract with the Growing Mid Wales (GMW) programme to deliver full fibre broadband access for business parks across Mid Wales – Ceredigion and Powys. But some nearby homes will also benefit.

As usual the focus will be on business parks that currently lack access to gigabit-capable broadband lines and which are not included in existing commercial broadband rollouts, or other publicly funded programmes (e.g. Project Gigabit).

Beyond the identified business parks, the network build will also enable additional nearby homes and businesses to upgrade to full fibre as the network is extended through the area. But sadly BT’s announcement doesn’t name any of the business parks that are expected to benefit from this project, which makes it hard to know which homes might also benefit.

Otherwise, the contract requires BT to design and build a full-fibre network capable of supporting download speeds of up to 1 Gbps, with the flexibility to meet future demand. The network will be open access, meaning businesses will not be tied to a single provider and can choose broadband services of their choice from a range of ISPs (basically.. Openreach’s network, even though the announcement doesn’t name them).

The network rollout itself is already said to have commenced.

Susi Marston, Head of Public Sector Wales at BT, said:

“Reliable, high-quality broadband makes a real difference to how people run their businesses every day, giving them the connectivity they need to innovate and grow. This programme means more people and places can benefit from fast, dependable digital access, helping them thrive in an increasingly digital future. Wales is a key location for BT and plays a vital role in powering the UK’s economy, so investing in the digital infrastructure which will power its businesses for years to come really matters to us.”

Councillors Bryan Davies and Jake Berriman said:

“This project demonstrates the momentum already building across the Mid Wales Growth Deal, with investment translating into delivery on the ground. It is a major step forward for Mid Wales. Ensuring our business parks have access to gigabit-capable full fibre will strengthen the foundations for regional growth, improve competitiveness, and support businesses to adopt modern digital tools and services. Importantly, this project targets premises that were not in the scope of existing commercial or publicly funded programmes, ensuring the benefits of full fibre reach more of our communities and employment sites.”

BT will also deliver digital skills support for small and medium-sized businesses across Mid Wales. This will include a virtual programme, offering practical workshops, tools and tailored guidance to help businesses build digital capability and improve productivity. Targeted promotional activity will also be used to help raise awareness and engagement with the programme.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A new YouGov survey of 16,474 people from across 14 European countries, including the United Kingdom, has very unsurprisingly found that only 10% of respondents expressed mistrust towards European router manufacturers. The figure rises to 38% for manufacturers from the USA, 52% for China and 67% for Russia. But many don’t know where their broadband router is built.

Looking specifically at British respondents and the results aren’t all that different from the overall figures. At 70%, British consumers were shown to feel the greatest mistrust towards Russian manufacturers, followed by China (59%), the USA (36%) and finally European manufacturers only attracted a mistrust score of 11% (slightly above the average from all countries).

However, modern routers are built with components from all across the world – particularly China, which raises a question mark over the real origin of the hardware and software you’re buying. The survey, which was commissioned by FRITZ! (clearly a vested interest), noted that respondents across the entire panel were often unaware of whence the routers originate.

For example, only 14% of respondents knew that devices from TP-Link originate from China and 16% mistakenly thought that the company is European, while 51% were not sure. Similarly, 49% of respondents were also unsure about the company Netgear. Only brands such as Starlink and Huawei could be associated with the correct countries of origin much more frequently: Starlink – USA (55%), Huawei – China (77%). Europe’s largest manufacturer, FRITZ!, was correctly identified by only 26% of respondents in the UK.

“It is also interesting to note the perceived origin of router manufacturers for devices rented from a [broadband ISP]. In all of the participating European countries, the majority of respondents assume that rental devices from major providers are routers produced in Europe, even if they aren’t,” said the study.

All of this has relevance, and not only for security, because users were found to attach great importance to whether a device is developed and manufactured in Europe. More than half (55%) of those surveyed stated that this is important or very important to them. The figures are largely consistent across the individual countries.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Transport for London (TfL) and Boldyn Networks have published a progress update for their roll-out of 4G and 5G mobile (mobile broadband) coverage on the London Underground, which reveals that more sections of the Bakerloo, Metropolitan and Circle line are now live. The project is currently on target to complete by the end of 2026.

Just to recap. Boldyn Networks, using kit from Nokia and others, currently holds a 20-year concession deal with TfL, which was signed in June 2021 (here). The agreement allows them to deploy new mobile network infrastructure across the whole Tube (London Underground), DLR and Elizabeth line network.

The latest progress update for this reveals that customers on the Bakerloo, Metropolitan and Circle lines are now able stay connected for more of their journeys after further sections gained mobile coverage in recent months. In addition, around 60% of stations that are ‘underground’ now have coverage, and work is on track to bring coverage to the whole network by the end of the year.

In recent weeks, coverage has been introduced in the tunnelled sections on the Bakerloo line between Queen’s Park and Edgware Road, plus on the Metropolitan line between Euston Square and King’s Cross St Pancras as well as between Barbican and Moorgate. The Circle and District lines have also gained coverage between Cannon Street and Monument, Sloane Square and Victoria, and Bayswater and Paddington.

As well as tunnelled sections, busy stations including Vauxhall, Temple, Nine Elms and Gloucester Road have all now gone live. Mobile coverage has also begun to be introduced at major stations like King’s Cross St Pancras, Victoria and Paddington, which will go live in phases due to their size and complexity, focusing initially on ticket halls and platforms.

The vast majority of the Northern, Bakerloo and Metropolitan lines will have coverage in the tunnels by the end of summer this year. The expanding coverage will also host the new Emergency Services Network (ESN) – which, when fully operational, will give first responders (police, fire and ambulance) immediate access to life-saving data, images and information in live situations and emergencies.

Rebecca Bissell, Director of IT at TfL, said:

“We are delighted to be delivering more mobile coverage to our customers across our Tube network. Providing mobile coverage across our network means customers can stay better connected while they travel, allowing them to stay in contact with friends and family, shop online and keep up with the latest news and sports results. We remain focused on having 4G and 5G mobile coverage across the whole Tube network by the end of the year, and more than 600 engineers work hard overnight during limited engineering hours to help deliver this.”

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, said:

“It’s brilliant to see this continued progress on the Mayor’s promise of delivering 4G and 5G across the London Underground, with more mobile coverage for passengers across an ever-growing network of lines and stations. In an increasingly digital world, we’re committed to ensuring that all Londoners and visitors have the connections they need – even whilst on the move – as we build a better London for everyone.”

In addition, TfL and Boldyn are also working to introduce coverage to sections of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) that are under-ground, as well as the Windrush line between Highbury & Islington and New Cross.

The operators are also working to install small-cell technology on TfL assets such as lighting columns, to enhance mobile connectivity in high-footfall urban areas. Some of the capital’s busiest areas – such as King’s Cross, Waterloo, London Bridge, Old Street, The Shard and Hyde Park Corner – are already benefiting from this work.

The original goal of the London Underground deployment, which also extends to some of the London Overground network, was to reach completion by the end of 2024 (ticket halls, platforms and tunnels). But some sections of certain lines, such as those that are closer to the surface, where partial mobile coverage exists, required bespoke works and that has taken a bit longer.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Plans by Amazon (AWS) and Vodafone to deploy a new high‑capacity subsea fibre optic cable link between Ireland and the United Kingdom (Wales), as part of the ‘Beaufort Cable’ system, appear to be making progress, with new planning applications helping to confirm the expected landing sites.

The Beaufort Cable System is essentially envisaged as being a replacement for the ESAT‑1 cable (installed in 1999 by ESAT Telecom and later acquired by BT), which reached the end of its operational lifespan in 2024. The new cable will carry up to 96 fibre pairs within a 33 mm‑diameter unit and is targeted to be buried 1.5 metres beneath the seabed for protection.

According to a new planning application submitted to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park (Subtel Forum), Apollo Submarine Cable Systems (a subsidiary of Vodafone) are planning to bring the cable ashore at the village of Newgale in Wales (linking via a site at the Newsurf Shop Car Park, Sands Café Car Park and Duke of Edinburgh Inn). The side in Ireland will connect at a site in Kilmore Quay, Wexford.

At present we still don’t know the final timescale for deployment (pending planning approvals) or the full technical specs for the cable itself, although the deployment phase appears to be inching ever closer. The final cable is also expected to adopt a multi-branch architecture, which includes an additional subsea connection to Bude (Cornwall) in England.

This is only the latest in a string of recent subsea cable announcements, including the new AUÐUR cable between the UK and Iceland (here), as well as the IOEMA Fibre project that will connect the UK with Northern Europe (here). Not to mention others, like 2Africa (here) or the VERENA cable between the UK and Denmark (here). Several other subsea links have also been proposed, such as a new one to link with Shetland (here) and several by Microsoft.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A new study from Broadband Genie has compared the cumulative prices of common household expenses, including utilities, council tax, groceries, transport, and entertainment. The result identifies that the average cost of a “new” broadband subscription is 10% cheaper than it was in 2016.

According to the results, a decade ago a new broadband deal had an effective monthly cost of £25.19, yet today it claims that bill payers can sign up to a new deal for only £22.63 – often with much faster speeds (i.e. better value). This is said to be based on recording the effective monthly price of the “top 10 deals” from 2016 to 2026 and comparing the cumulative change to a virtual basket of goods and services from the same period.

By comparison, gas and electricity are 82% more expensive than they were ten years ago, while average water bills have increased by 69%. Even everyday luxuries and essentials have surged. A pint of lager is 38% pricier than it was a decade ago, while the price of a single stamp has skyrocketed by 181%.

The news is likely to frustrate those who have recently been stung by various inflation busting mid-contract price hikes, but then the catch in this study is that we’re only talking about new subscribers and thus the big first term discounts they often deploy. Equally, the study has not considered network availability, which could be an issue because many cheap and fast altnets lack strong national coverage.

Cumulative percentage price change 2016 – 2026

Naturally the situation is likely to be quite different for existing customers, particularly since many broadband consumers still don’t switch ISP and instead remain loyal (in many cases this group will face much higher prices). According to Ofcom, only 1.62 million consumers switched landline (phone) or broadband provider using the primary One Touch Switch (OTS) process in the year to September 2025 (here).

The new study goes on to claim that an estimated 8.8 million broadband customers are currently out of contract and thus paying an average of £183.60 more per year than necessary. The obvious indication is that consumers should switch to save money, although if you’re happy with your ISP or prioritise quality over price then haggling for a lower price with your existing ISP may be a better option (Retentions – Tips for Cutting Your Broadband Bill). However, your mileage from haggling will vary, as not all providers do it (big providers are usually more receptive).

In fairness the new study and its core point is valid. We can recall paying £40+ per month for a 0.5Mbps ADSL broadband connection may moons’ ago, and today you can often get gigabit speeds or better for such a price. Part of this is because modern networks are cheaper and more efficient to run, while core or backhaul capacity links are forever getting faster and often cheaper in the process. The highly competitive market also helps.