Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News

Another Louisiana CEO is calling on Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to address BEAD delays and reaffirm a strategic commitment to fibre

By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

Days after the CEO of Louisiana-based SkyRider Communications penned an open letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick pleading for BEAD to move forward, another Louisiana CEO has voiced a similar call.

In a new letter given to Broadband Communities today, David Herring, the founder and CEO of ClearPath Fiber, said the financial risk to his company is growing “each day federal guidance is delayed or revised.”

Now, Herring says ClearPath “can’t continue this work.”

Click here to read Herring’s full letter to Lutnick

“Not because we aren’t ready,” he writes in the letter, dated April 23, “but because delays and uncertainty are costing us everything.”

According to Broadband Breakfast, ClearPath was awarded over $34.5 million in Louisiana’s BEAD subgrantee selection.

The money will fund ClearPath’s efforts to reach well over 7,300 broadband serviceable locations, the data shows.

Herring’s letter describes ClearPath as “a small, mission-driven startup.”

“We took bold risks, built infrastructure from the ground up, and partnered with manufacturers, contractors, and engineers to serve rural and underserved Americans,” Herring writes.

According to Herring, once confident investors are now backing away due to the delays with BEAD, the nation’s massive $42.45 billion effort to deploy broadband to all Americans as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021.

Howard Lutnick (centre) stands with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in Feb. 2025. YouTube screenshot

The program, which stands for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment, has been subject of an ongoing review by Lutnick.

Herring writes that every day of uncertainty is costing jobs.

“We believed in this country’s future and in your administration’s promises to put Americans to work,” the letter reads. “Based on those commitments, we’ve invested real money, secured local support, and laid the groundwork for transformative broadband deployment.”

“Now, we are watching that progress stall,” Herring writes.

‘Let Louisiana move forward’

Herring also urges Lutnick to recognise “what’s happening on the ground in Louisiana.”

“Our state has done everything right,” he says, adding that Louisiana has adopted a tech-neutral approach that does not involve DEI policies.

Herring goes on to say that Louisiana is ready.

“Not next year. Not after another round of revisions. We can be in the ground next week,” he writes. “So why are we being held back?”

The letter concludes with Herring urging Lutnick to stop delaying BEAD.

Herring also calls on Lutnick to “reaffirm fiber as the foundation of our national broadband strategy” and “support Louisiana’s readiness to lead.”

“Let Louisiana move forward,” he says. “Let us lead the way — the right way, right now. Because there’s no benefit in holding back those who are ready, willing, and able.”

Notably, Louisiana has been a leader in the BEAD Program.

In 2024, Louisiana became the first to award BEAD funds, through a state program called GUMBO 2.0 (Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities).

It was also the first state to gain approval for their initial BEAD proposal.

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Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A new Censuswide survey conducted on behalf of UK broadband ISP Zen Internet, which involved 2,000 nationally representative UK consumers aged 16+ (surveyed during Q1 2025), claims to have found that 52% of Brits still have a landline, yet only 15% use it regularly. But only a third intend to take (or have already) the digital voice alternative when the switchover occurs.

The survey, which has been timed to coincide with the anniversary of the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 (due to be celebrated tomorrow), reminds readers about the upcoming switch from the old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to IP-based digital phone (VoIP etc.) services.

Just to recap. The big switch-off was last year delayed to 31st January 2027 in order to give broadband ISPs, phone providers, telecare operators and consumers more time to adapt (details). But the main focus of this delay was the 1.8 million people who use vital home telecare systems in the UK (e.g. elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people), which aren’t always compatible with the replacement VoIP / IP-based digital phone services (i.e. for everybody else the deadline is still technically Dec 2025).

However, Zen’s survey found that 29% of respondents are still unsure about the switch, while 34% say they won’t maintain a phone connection other than mobile. Interestingly, 44% of 25-to-34 year olds are still choosing to retain a landline when the switch off happens. The main reasons cited for keeping a landline is as a backup in case of poor mobile reception (41%) or to stay in touch with elderly relatives who prefer the traditional dial tone (39%).

In the survey, older generations said they felt landlines gave “better call quality” (often this is not the case) and “a more personal feel“, but Zen said the reality is that most landlines now sit unused, collecting dust while households juggle multiple smartphones.

Zen’s survey also found that only 34% of respondents could remember friends’ or family members’ landline or mobile numbers. A surprising number of Brits struggle to recall even one mobile number, despite carrying a phone packed with hundreds of contacts.

Stephen Warburton, MD of Zen’s Retail Division, said:

“While the nostalgia surrounding our experience of landline phones over the decades is entertaining, our survey highlights some real concerns. Nearly half (46%) of landline users worry that removing home phones could lead to more loneliness, particularly for older generations. Two-thirds (66%) also fear that without landlines, grandparents and elderly neighbours will struggle to stay connected.

As for the switch to Digital Voice, there’s still widespread uncertainty. According to our survey, over a third (34%) of Brits have little or no understanding of the impending shutdown, with confusion highest among women (41%) and younger generations.”

Naturally, Zen Internet has a vested interest here, as they’re in a position to help with such transitions.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Broadband ISP and mobile operator Virgin Media and O2 have this morning revealed new mobile, internet, and TV data showing a weekday afternoon surge in traffic after 3.40PM, as children across the UK reach for screens after school. This is largely driven by TV/streaming, YouTube and homework related activity.

The new network data is accompanied by a limited consumer survey, although VMO2 fails to clarify any details about the methodology or sample size of this (take it with a pinch of salt). Nevertheless, this survey finds that half of parents say they head to the park with their children after school, while many others report that they read together.

However, the broadband data shows many families are immediately turning to screens to navigate busy afternoons. Traffic on the network jumps at 3:40pm every week day and continues to rise until around 5pm (sadly no actual network data is provided to help substantiate this), with YouTube topping the list of platforms typically used, cited by 61% of parents, followed by TV at 55%.

Summary of Additional Findings

➤ 46% of parents regularly continue to work after picking up their kids from school and find themselves juggling work and home commitments.

➤ 62% of parents give their children devices to use while they cook, while 47% use the time to tackle housework and a third catch up on emails and work.

➤ 70% consider the internet essential to their family’s daily routine – 44% say the household would fall apart without it, and 47% admit that any WiFi issues would spark arguments over who’s hogging the connection.

Jeanie York, CTO of VMO2, said: “Our data shows just how essential connectivity is to modern family life. With parents juggling busy schedules and children going online to learn, stay entertained and chat with friends, our gigabit broadband ensures everyone stays connected – without the arguments. As busy households turn to our services more than ever, we’re investing and innovating to deliver the reliable, high-speed connectivity British households rely on.”

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Some customers of city-focused UK ISP Hyperoptic, which since 2011 claims to have deployed an alternative full fibre (FTTP/B) network to reach “more than” 1.73 million homes in parts of 64 towns and cities, appear to be suffering from a sizeable network outage this morning.

The outage started at around 7am and the provider issued the following statement via social media shortly after that: “We’re currently facing service disruptions in a number of areas. Our team is on it and working hard to get everything back up and running. We’ll keep you posted with any updates right here. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding!”

The provider does also offer its own Network Status page, but this sits behind a postcode checker and didn’t appear to be working when we tried it earlier. Upon submitting a postcode, it simply returned a rather nondescript error message to say “Some issue occurred“.

However, at the time of writing, we can see that complaints appear to be falling from their peak and hopefully this means the issue may have been resolved.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The ability of a broadband provider to offer an effective and informative ‘Service Status‘ page, which can be useful for keeping customers updated about developments during network outages, is a crucial but often overlooked feature of modern internet provision. Yet in recent years’ ISPs seem to have been making them less and less effective or removing them entirely.

In the past it was fairly normal for any ISP worth their salt to include a Service Status page, which would often be kept regularly updated with general network incidents, planned maintenance and major outages. Such pages help to keep consumers informed and, as a result, they can also reduce the pressure on support lines (phone), which are often at risk of becoming overloaded with demand during major outages.

Some broadband providers, such as Andrews & Arnold (example) and Zen Internet (examples here and here), still maintain fairly informative and dedicated service status pages. But others seem to have either got rid of them almost entirely (e.g. Plusnet), made them harder to find and access (e.g. sticking them behind an account login – makes life tedious if you don’t have those details on the device you’re using) or reduced the level of information they provide to the point of being almost insultingly vague. Some ISPs even require you to enter a landline number to access the details, which is hard luck if you’re on a data-only connection!

In place of those we have seen some providers putting more effort into communicating their outages via social media, which does have its merits (albeit more of a complement than a replacement). In addition, not everybody uses social media and the updates given via those usually only cover major outages. Suffice to say, there remains a strong argument for a centralised way of finding related information.

On top of this we have also seen the odd peculiarity, such as with the way that a tiny number of network operators (e.g. Virgin Media) often seem to tie their website too closely to their physical network (i.e. many of Virgin’s big outages have often taken their service status page offline too, which rather defeats their purpose). But the latter is mercifully quite a rare occurrence.

In an ideal world we’d like every ISP to maintaining a Service Status page, which would include a useful summary of current network outages (inc. a history log of recent ones), expected fix times and some limited details about the cause. Sadly, Ofcom’s rules do not specifically require ISPs to communicate details of the service outages / disruption events they suffer, which we think is one area that is ripe for the regulator to improve.

However, it’s important to remember that all complex broadband and mobile networks will inevitably suffer from faults, but the harm this causes is often magnified when providers fail to keep consumers updated in a timely fashion. The information vacuum this creates often gets filled by wild speculation and causes anxiety among those who don’t know whether the fault is within their home or the remote network.

The good news is that websites like Down Detector or the ‘Disconnections‘ section in Speedtest.net’s App are slowly becoming more useful as a way of figuring out what’s going on. But their usefulness only really extends to major outages, while smaller or more localised events often won’t register or are harder to spot. In addition, they don’t cover many smaller network providers.

Admittedly, the need for a decent Service Status page probably isn’t top of everybody’s criteria when choosing a new ISP, but we’d argue that it should be – it’s already one of our top considerations when looking to switch. In our view, any ISP that cannot communicate such events in a clear, accessible and timely fashion is failing its customers and does not deserve your money.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Several of ISPreview’s readers have indicated to us that Openreach’s fibre broadband checker has been down since yesterday morning or thereabouts. The popular tool is currently still offline at the time of writing today and returns the following message on use: “Service request failed. Please try again later“.

The network access provider is clearly aware of this, as their website now carries a status message to inform visitors that they are “experiencing some technical difficulties” with the service. “We are aware there is an issue with our fibre availability checker/reappointment, we’re working on it and should be back online shortly,” added the notification.

Service outages like this do happen from time to time, although they are usually very brief and this one has gone on for a lot longer than usual. But no doubt it should return soon. In the meantime, we have requested an update from Openreach and hope to report back soon.

UPDATE 1:52pm

Openreach have informed us that they’re still “investigating” and hope to have the checker back up and running asap.

UPDATE 3:14pm

The checker is now back online.

UPDATE 5:06pm

A spokesperson for Openreach told ISPreview: “The Openreach fibre checker is now back online after we experienced some technical issues following a service software update. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A new study from researchers at RemotePeople, which is an international remote recruitment agency, claims to have identified some of the sixty best and worst UK locations for working from home (WFH). One of the key metrics here is broadband speed (download and upload), which helped to lift Southampton into the top spot. But London ranked last.

In order to determine which cities make the “ideal remote work destinations“, the research team evaluated several factors across key categories: internet speeds, coworking spaces, remote job listings, cost of living, safety, and access to green spaces. The data on broadband speeds was sourced from Ofcom, although we think they should have looked at network availability too, including for mobile operators.

Otherwise, the above factors cover essential aspects like connectivity, work environment, and lifestyle balance. Each factor was scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the best conditions for remote work.

The respective weights for each of these factors were as follows: Average download speed (15%), average upload speed (15%), coworking spaces per 100,000 people (14%), remote-friendly job postings per 100,000 people (11%), recently worked from home (10%), average data usage (GB) (10%), cost of living (10%), safety index (9%), and park and play areas per 100,000 people (6%).

Overall, Southampton came top thanks to having the fastest broadband speeds and a solid all-round performance. The city recorded average download speeds of 279.3Mbps and upload speeds of 174.9Mbps, by far the highest in the list (it’s well covered by the likes of Openreach, Virgin Media + nexfibre and toob etc.). It also offers decent coworking availability, a good safety rating, and moderate living costs.

By comparison, London was found to be the least remote-friendly city, mainly due to its high costs, poor internet speeds, and fewer coworking spaces per 100k people.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News 

The facility will be delivered in phases and is aimed at meeting rising demand for AI, cloud, and digital services in the region 

UAE operator du has unveiled plans for a new hyperscale data centre worth AED 2 billion ($544.54 million) with Microsoft confirmed as the lead tenant at AI week in Dubai. 

“This marks a significant investment in digital infrastructure, reinforcing Dubai’s leadership in adopting the latest technologies, innovations, and digital services,” said the Crown Prince of Dubai in a LinkedIn post. 

“This deal represents a pivotal leap in our strategic goal to revolutionise the digital ecosystem of the UAE,” echoed Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du. 

As lead tenant, Microsoft is expected to occupy a significant share of capacity to support its Azure cloud platform, helping to anchor the project and attract other enterprise customers. 

du already operates five data centres across the UAE and said the new site will provide more capacity for businesses looking to scale cloud operations locally, while meeting requirements around digital sovereignty, ensuring that data is stored and managed in line with national laws and regulatory frameworks. 

The announcement reflects a wider push in the Gulf to invest in data infrastructure, as governments and enterprises ramp up efforts around AI, cloud and sustainability. 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter 

Also in the news:
Virgin Media O2 to continue 3G switch off in Norwich, Telford, Guildford and Torquay
Amazon reassesses data centre expansion
Investing in the North: How Virgin Media O2 is powering a more connected, inclusive future

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release 

• Following the successful pilot in the city of Durham in April, Virgin Media O2 has confirmed that Norwich, Telford and Guildford will be the next UK locations to have 3G withdrawn on 16 July, with Torquay to follow on 4 August
• While the vast majority of customers will not need to take any action, the operator is directly contacting all customers across the UK who currently don’t have a 4G or 5G device to provide information and support ahead of a wider switch off beginning from August
• Customers can visit their local O2 store for more information and support, and they are also reminded they can use O2 Recycle to responsibly and sustainably dispose of their old handsets in exchange for cash
• The withdrawal of 3G services, which will be completed by the end of 2025, is part of long-term plans to deliver faster and more reliable 4G and 5G connectivity for customers

22 April 2025: Virgin Media O2 has today confirmed that its 3G network will be switched off in Norwich, Telford and Guildford on 16 July, and in Torquay on 4 August, as part of the company’s plans to deliver faster and more reliable 4G and 5G connectivity for mobile customers. This follows the successful pilot in Durham, which became the first city to have 3G withdrawn on 2 April.

While the vast majority of customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not have to take any action as a result of the switch off, the company has begun directly contacting all customers across the UK currently without a compatible handset to inform them that they will require a 4G SIM and device to continue using mobile data once 3G is switched off.

As part of the company’s plan to support the small number of customers who will be impacted, known vulnerable customers have already been offered a 4G-ready device free of charge, helping them stay connected, while all other customers who don’t currently have a 4G handset or SIM will be offered a new device at a reduced price. Virgin Media O2 also continues to engage with consumer groups and charities such as Good Things Foundation to draw on their expertise and help manage the transition effectively.

Customers who don’t upgrade to a 4G or 5G device before 3G is switched off will still be able to use voice calls and send text messages as they currently do for now, but they would not be able to use mobile data.

Any customers with older, unwanted handsets are urged to recycle their device through O2 Recycle. Not only will they receive cash in exchange, but they’ll also be playing their part in protecting the environment, with Virgin Media O2’s zero landfill policy meaning that these phones will be repaired or recycled for parts.

The company’s 3G network, first launched more than 20 years ago, today carries less than 3% of all network data – a figure which continues to fall. The switch-off of this older technology – agreed by the Government and all mobile network operators in 2021 – allows providers like Virgin Media O2 to reallocate mobile spectrum to more efficient 4G and 5G services and improve customers’ experience with faster data speeds, more reliable streaming and higher quality voice calls.

Indeed, Virgin Media O2 has upgraded 4G and 5G masts in Norwich, Telford, Guildford and Torquay over the past year, and the company invests around £2m every single day into its mobile network to meet ever-growing demand for connectivity.

Customers of virtual network operators that use Virgin Media O2’s mobile network – such as Tesco Mobile and giffgaff – will also be impacted by the switch-off and are being contacted directly by their provider.

Jeanie York, Virgin Media O2’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “We’re switching off our 3G network to focus our attention and investment on upgrading faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks that will give our customers a better overall experience.

“Following the successful pilot in Durham earlier this month, we will now be switching off 3G in Norwich, Telford and Guildford in July, and Torquay in early August, with the rest of the UK to follow by the end of the year.

“While we know that the vast majority of our customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not have to take any action, our priority is to provide support to those who need it. That is why we are reaching out directly to customers who do not have a 4G or 5G handset, and calling those we know are vulnerable, to provide information about their next steps. It is important these customers upgrade their handsets in order to continue using mobile data after 3G is switched off.”

O2 customers can find out more about the 3G switch off on its website. Tesco Mobile customers can find out more here, Sky Mobile customers should visit here for further information, while giffgaff customers can access further support here.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Mobile infrastructure services provider Cornerstone (CTIL), which handles the UK network sharing agreement between O2 (Virgin Media) and Vodafone (Vantage Towers), has announced that Oxford will be the first of three major UK cities set for “enhanced [5G] mobile connectivity” in 2025 as they deploy a new “city-wide” small cell network.

Small cells are akin to mini shoebox sized mobile (radio) base stations, which are designed to deliver limited coverage (usually up to around 100 metres) and thus tend to be more focused on busy urban areas and specific sites – it’s not uncommon to find these sitting on top of lampposts, CCTV poles or old payphone cubicles (i.e. they can be more cost-effective than building new street assets or trying to secure wayleaves on buildings etc.).

The new deployment in Oxford is being supported by Signify, the global lighting company, and Dense Air, a neutral host platform provider, to deliver “next-generation connectivity through existing street lighting infrastructure“. Oxford will be the first city in the UK to benefit from this project, which aims to deliver “seamless, high-capacity mobile [broadband / data] coverage for businesses, residents, and visitors“.

Pat Coxen, CEO of Cornerstone, said:

“At Cornerstone, we are committed to revolutionising the UK’s digital landscape by delivering cutting-edge mobile infrastructure solutions that empower our customers — Mobile Network Operators — to provide seamless, high-speed connectivity.

Our Oxford deployment is a prime example of how we are working with partners and local authorities to transform urban infrastructure, support economic growth, and create more connected communities. This initiative not only enhances mobile coverage but also reinforces Oxford’s position as a leader in digital innovation.”

Cornerstone, alongside Signify and Dense Air, added that they’ve committed to rolling out similar city-wide small cell deployments in two further UK cities during 2025, with additional locations to follow at a later date. But the details of those plans were not stated in today’s release.