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The UK telecoms, media and internet content regulator, Ofcom, has today announced that Lord Richard Allan has stepped down early from his position as a Non-Executive Director of the regulator’s board. The Secretary of State originally appointed Lord Allan for a four-year term at the end of 2024.

According to the announcement, Lord Allen, who has over three decades of experience in communications and technology policy (he’s also been a Member of the House of Lords since 2010), is standing down from his role immediately due to a “personal family matter“. We wish him and his family well.

“Richard Allan has decided to stand down from the Ofcom Board due to a personal family matter with immediate effect. We respect his decision and thank him for his significant contribution to Ofcom,” said a spokesperson for Ofcom. The government will now need to go on the hunt for a replacement. Non-Executive Directors of the Ofcom Board typically receive £42,519 per annum (2024 figure).

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Yesterday saw the UK Government sign one of its largest services-focused trade deals to date, this time with the beautifully mountainous Central European country of Switzerland, which among other things included an agreement to support surcharge-free international mobile roaming.

At present a lot of UK mobile operators already offer roaming options, either as an inclusive part of your mobile plan or as a paid add-on, although it’s worth noting that the data (mobile broadband) side of such allowances usually still come attached to a Fair Usage Policy (FUP); the latter is a fairly standard practice, even for many mobile operators within Europe.

The good news is that the new UK-Switzerland trade deal will officially scrap roaming charges between the two countries, although precisely when this will be introduced across the primary UK mobile operators of EE, O2 and VodafoneThree (Vodafone and Three UK) remains unclear.

“The UK and Switzerland intend to include surcharge-free international mobile roaming. This would mean that UK tourists and business travellers would be able to use their mobile phones in Switzerland as part of their regular phone contract and without incurring extra roaming charges,” said the official announcement.

ABTA – The Travel Association Chief Executive, Mark Tanzer, said:

“We want travel to be as easy and smooth as possible, so this announcement includes great outcomes for British holidaymakers and business travellers, particularly the permanent arrangement for visa-free service supply for 90 days per calendar year.

Removing roaming charges would give people one less thing to think about before their trip and should make it cheaper to stay in touch too.

Plus, giving UK visitors access to Swiss eGates will make going through the airport smoother and quicker for tourists and business travellers alike. We know it’s not something that can just happen overnight, but it is encouraging to see that Switzerland has a plan in place to make it happen. Removing travel frictions like these with major European partners is so important for UK tourism and exports.”

The official government FTA announcement ranked free mobile roaming as no.4 on its list of top benefits from the deal.

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New customers looking to join broadband ISP Virgin Media (O2) should note that the ISP has introduced a big discount on their 1,130Mbps download (104Mbps upload) package, which has been reduced to just £24.99 per month (affiliate link) on a 24-month minimum term (price increases to £28.99 from April 2027 and £32.99 from April 2028).

We’ve had some conflicting communications about when this new pricing would go live over the past few days and what level it would be set at, but a quick check shows that it is currently available to order via their website for those in Virgin’s Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC / DOCSIS 3.1) areas. But the price is currently different for those covered by nexfibre’s FTTP network, where it’s £26.99.

Otherwise, all of the provider’s plans include a wireless router and free setup, although the 1Gbps package mentioned above also bundles a 3-month free trial of Advanced Security, powered by F-Secure. We believe the new pricing will run until the end of this month.

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Another day, another launch of a new eSIM focused virtual mobile provider. The latest to join the rapidly growing club is called Simp Mobile, which has spent the last few months in testing with a limited base of users and is now launching publicly. The operator proclaims itself as being “aimed squarely at a younger audience“.

“Going eSIM-only lets us run a fully digital, app-first operation – no physical SIM logistics, no retail, no call centres. Everything (activation, number port, roaming, rewards) happens in the app, and because we’re software-led we ship updates and new features regularly, with a lot more in the pipeline,” said a spokesperson for the operator to ISPreview. But we’re not sure how much of a positive selling point being app-based and having “no call centres” is going to be for potential customers.

Otherwise, the operator features just two primary mobile plans, both of which include “unlimited” data (mobile broadband), calls, texts (fair usage policy of 750GB applies to UK data) and apply a regular monthly rolling contract. Customers can also save money by paying their subscription three months in advance and the service uses the VodafoneThree (Vodafone and Three UK) network.

The service also supports mobile roaming across 130+ countries worldwide. Outside of Europe you get a 5G data allowance [3GB Standard / 5GB Premium], which then claims to offer “unlimited data” at 4G, although the small print seems to interpret “unlimited” data on roaming in an.. unusual way: “Global roaming runs at 5G speed up to your plan’s allowance, then continues unlimited at 4G speeds in the supported countries listed in our terms (up to 10GB of usage).”

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Six years ago the UK’s major mobile operators began to deploy a service called ‘Number Verify’ (here), which made it both easier and more secure to authenticate a user’s identity for online transactions. Vodafone has now announced that the UK, Germany and the Netherlands will be the first countries to get v2.0 of the phone number authentication API.

Most consumers are probably already aware of the common Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) process, which works to verify users with a login/password (or other method) by sending a one-time passcode (OTP) to the consumer’s mobile phone. The customer then inputs that code into an app or website and are then able to complete the login.

However, SMS OTP only confirms that someone entered a code sent to a mobile number. It does not prove that the real subscriber is present or that the authentication journey has not been compromised, which is something fraudsters often try to manipulate.

The original Number Verify service simplified that process by verifying customers through matching phone numbers used in a website or app session, which ensured the details being provided are the same registered on the customer’s account (this method was also PSD2 SCA – Strong Customer Authentication – compliant). But this still wasn’t perfect and over time fraudsters are adapting.

By comparison, Number Verify 2.0 improves that process and can now work over Wi-Fi as well as mobile data, including while roaming (v1 only worked with mobile data). Various other improvements have also been made, such as via OS-level integration and cryptographic SIM tokens (TS.43) – the latter are temporary, tamper-proof network tokens. The CAMARA API (Application Programming Interface) is now also much more standardised.

The new version thus gives businesses a “simpler, more secure and seamless way to verify a user’s mobile phone number without SMS one-time passcodes“. It uses the mobile network to verify that a user’s phone number is associated with their SIM and device across both app and web journeys, whether the user is on mobile data or Wi-Fi.

Johanna Wood, Director of Network APIs at Vodafone, said:

“SMS OTP has been the default for over a decade, but it was never built for the threat environment we operate in today. Number Verify 2.0 changes that by giving developers a way to verify phone numbers that is faster, safer and seamless for the user.

Launching Number Verify 2.0 simultaneously in three countries marks the start of our global rollout for enterprise customers.”

The mobile number remains one of the most widely used identifiers for registration, login, account recovery and transaction confirmation, yet Vodafone notes that the industry’s default verification method has “not kept pace with modern fraud threats or user expectations“. The new version is an attempt to address those shortcomings.

Number Verify 2.0 is also said to offer enterprises, such as banks, retailers and social media platforms, multiple benefits, including:

Higher conversion rates: removing manual mobile number entry, SMS wait times and code typing from onboarding, login and account recovery flows.

More secure by design: eliminating human-readable OTPs that can be phished, intercepted or socially engineered.

Keeps costs down: reducing unnecessary SMS spending, failed OTP attempts and exposure to artificial traffic.

The upgrade is already said to be “now available” in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, albeit initially only on Android based devices (Smartphones, tablets etc.). But this is a system that is designed to ensure interoperability across other mobile operators and markets, so Vodafone won’t be the only one to deploy it.

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SpaceX has revealed that the next test launch of their future Starship rocket (flight 13), which is scheduled to take place on Thursday night this week (occurring after 23:45), will attempt to deploy 20 of their next generation V3 (GEN3) Starlink broadband satellites “for the first time” (these will not be dummy demonstrators like before). But they’ll only last a few minutes.

The service currently has around 10,800 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).

However, as we’ve previously reported, SpaceX are aiming to deliver a significant upgrade to the performance and capacity of their Starlink constellation by putting the next generation of v3 satellites into orbit in the future. Each v3 will be able to handle 1 Terabit per second (1000Gbps) of downlink (up from 96Gbps on V2 Mini) and 160Gbps of uplink speed (shared capacity), with the future Starship rocket able to put around 60 of these into orbit per launch (here).

The problem is that SpaceX are currently unable to properly launch any of their new v3 satellites, which is because they’re too large and heavy (2,000kg each vs 575kg for V2 Mini) for that to be economically viable via their existing Falcon 9 rockets. SpaceX has thus had to wait for their new heavy lift Starship rocket to be ready, but these have yet to reach full orbit and the same will be true for their next launch on 16th July 2026.

Despite this, the launch schedule for flight 13 says that a total of 20 V3 Starlinks will be on board the next Starship test flight, yet bizarrely these are all “expected to demise upon re-entry approximately 20 minutes after deployment“. Talk about an exercise in throwing money out of a window space door.

SpaceX Statement

The Starship upper stage’s primary objectives include the deployment of 20 Starlink V3 satellites, a relight of a single Raptor engine while in space, and another controlled entry, descent, and splashdown in the Indian Ocean. There have also been several modifications to Starship’s propulsion system to address the engine out issue experienced on the previous flight.

Approximately 40 seconds after stage separation, Starship lost one of its three Raptor vacuum optimized engines. The vehicle was able to demonstrate its engine out capability and reach its planned suborbital trajectory. Several hardware and operational modifications have been made to address the interconnected causes with additional reliability improvements planned in upcoming versions of the Raptor engine.

For the first time, Starship will carry V3 Starlink satellites to space, which aim to greatly expand the network’s capacity and user speeds. As part of this initial test, Starship is planned to deploy 20 satellites which will extend solar arrays and antennas and will attempt to connect with the larger Starlink constellation via high-capacity lasers. The Starlink satellites will be on the same suborbital trajectory as Starship and are expected to demise upon re-entry approximately 20 minutes after deployment.

Six of the satellites have been modified with a suite of cameras to scan Starship’s heat shield and transmit imagery down to operators to continue testing methods of analyzing Starship’s heat shield readiness for return to launch site on future missions. Several tiles on Starship have been painted white to simulate missing tiles and serve as imaging targets in the test.

Several upgrades and experiments related to Starship’s heatshield will also be tested to continue iteration towards a fully and rapidly reusable design. Multiple tiles will be attached to the metallic side of Starship’s aft flaps along with modified tiles and attachment mechanisms in the heatshield covering the aft skirt to gather flight data on different attachment options. Finally, Starship’s heatshield will have load sensing tiles to take measurements as the vehicle experiences higher dynamic pressure on ascent than previous flights, putting added stress on the tile attachments in exchange for increased payload to orbit capability.

On the surface it might seem like a waste of money to allow 20 next generation broadband satellites to burn up like this, but the test data and camera feeds they’ll carry could yet be worth the cost. Crucially, if SpaceX can make this flight a success, then the next Starship rocket launch may well attempt to reach a full orbital trajectory and that would mark a crucial milestone toward commercial operation.

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Comparison site Uswitch.com has announced that 13 UK Internet Service Providers (ISP) have today been awarded with its 2026 Broadband Excellence Accreditation, which is more than double last year and are said to reflect the ongoing regional deployment of full fibre networks.

Apparently, the providers were all measured against a fixed set of criteria: broadband speed, including symmetrical upload speeds; network performance; provision of the latest routers, including multigig-capable models suited to busier households and blocks of flats; customer support; and how effectively complaints are resolved (no raw data was provided to show this scoring). Providers are also expected to hold a Trustpilot rating of at least 4.3 out of 5. The criteria apply equally regardless of a provider’s size, and “applying is free“.

The accreditation seems to be positioned as a way to address the problem with brand reputation and trust, which can hamper take-up by consumers. According to an Opinium survey of 2,000 adults, which was conducted during April 2026, some 23% of respondents selected “Choosing a brand I know and trust, even if it costs slightly more” as the most important factor when choosing a new ISP.

The 2026 Broadband Excellence Accreditation Providers
4th Utility
CommunityFibre
Fibrely
Hyperoptic
MTH Networks
Onestream
Rise Fibre
Squirrel Internet
Toob
Trooli
YouFibre
Zen Internet
Zzoomm

Take note that the network availability for these providers will vary across the UK, due to the use of different underlying networks. Regular readers will quickly note the absence of any major fixed broadband providers, although several of the above providers do sit more in the medium-sized provider territory (e.g. YouFibre, CommunityFibre, Hyperoptic and Zen Internet).

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A partnership between EE (BT), the Denbighshire County Council, the Clocaenog Community Council and the Welsh Government has enabled the operator to extend their mobile (mobile broadband) network signal to reach across the remote rural North Wales village of Clocaenog. The community is said to have “been without reliable mobile phone coverage for decades“.

The technical details of precisely what mobile technologies have been deployed to cover Clocaenog’s small population (around 254 people live across the area) are currently unclear, although BT is understood to have installed their kit on top of an existing lamppost in the centre of the village. The latter sounds very much like a Small Cell style solution.

Otherwise, it is true to say that outdoor 4G mobile signals in the area have been, until now, extremely patchy to unusable. The project is said to have been supported by additional funding from the Brenig Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund, which distributes up to £152,000 per annum to help various projects in the nearby area (it’s unclear how much funding went toward this deployment).

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

“Bringing mobile connectivity to Clocaenog gives residents and local businesses opportunities they have never been able to access before. This partnership has been entirely focussed on working together to provide the community here with better connections to services, stronger links between people and more confidence to grow and plan for the future. Using ‘mini masts’ means we are able to deliver the network services people need in a way which respects the unique character of the area.”

Adam Price, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, said:

“Digital not-spots that cut communities off from modern life and economic opportunity have no place in our vision for Wales. As the new Welsh Government, we are committed to driving investment, innovation and higher productivity across Wales, and innovative projects like this will play an important part in delivering the stronger connectivity needed for the future Wales we want to foster.”

One catch with a deployment like this is that the mobile coverage will be very limited, so we suspect there may still be areas with patchy signal.

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The latest internet traffic data from UK ISP BT (EE) has revealed that Saturday night’s quarter-final FIFA World Cup 2026 football match between England and Norway triggered another “major surge in streaming traffic” across BT’s broadband network, despite it taking place well outside of normal working hours.

At 12.30am, peak traffic on the ITVX streaming app was 1,915% higher than BT would typically see at the same time on an average Saturday night into Sunday morning, as viewers stayed up to follow the closing stages of the match.

The match also drove an unusually sustained period of demand. Peak ITVX traffic between 10pm and 12.46am was 328% higher than the equivalent peak during an average week, showing the considerable impact of England’s latest late-night fixture on viewing habits.

People watching in Croydon recorded the highest volume of ITVX broadband traffic, followed by Walthamstow and Leighton Buzzard. “The figures underline the extraordinary pull of England at a major tournament, with hundreds of thousands of households prepared to stay awake well beyond midnight to watch the drama unfold live,” said a BT spokesperson.

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The Director General of the BBC, Matt Brittin, has confirmed they’re exploring the possibility of creating a “sovereign streaming platform in the UK” and have already had “an approach and a discussion” with Channel 4 about bringing some of their content to the iPlayer service – a way of helping both players to stay competitive in today’s streaming-centric world.

The move would seem to be an attempt to build on last year’s agreement (here) between British TV broadcasters Channel 4 and UKTV (U platform), which is owned by the BBC’s commercial division. The deal represented a major new multi-year carriage agreement, which saw C4 gaining access to stream thousands of hours of additional free TV content and shows from the BBC via their online service (The Office, Red Dwarf etc.).

By comparison, Matt Brittin, who was speaking at last week’s meeting of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, appears to be proposing that C4’s TV content could now appear on the BBC’s iPlayer streaming service. This is not to be confused with a re-hash of the BritBox service, since that was a paid product and the BBC are talking about a free to air solution (although the TV Licence fee does leave plenty of room for debate around how we use the word “free” in this context).

Matt Brittin told the committee:

“There is an opportunity in the long run to have a sovereign streaming platform in the UK — I use that word carefully. Where do you go for quality UK content? The BBC is the biggest commissioner, but Sky-ITV remains an important commissioner, and others can too. The opportunity would be to build on the incredible reach and success of iPlayer. Nobody else around the world has anything like iPlayer’s scale and success. The other European broadcasters look at us with envy.

We have had an approach and a discussion with Channel 4. In the world of this ITV-Sky merger, Channel 4 looks very subscale. All these mergers are driven by the need to have scale, and Channel 4 looks very subscale. One opportunity for it would be to have content on iPlayer in partnership with the BBC but continue to be ad-funded. There is an array of commercial audience, public service and technical issues, but we will explore that as quickly as we are able to because that will be important for public service media.”

At this stage there’s no detail on whether this will actually happen or how much access iPlayer users might get to Channel 4’s content (i.e. will it mirror C4’s on-demand App content and include live programmes or be more restrictive), although anything that means we have one less than today’s gazillion different streaming Apps to install would perhaps be welcomed.