Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The UK Government has confirmed that a total of 140 publicly-funded rural 4G (mobile broadband) mast upgrades have now gone live across the United Kingdom (up from 100 at the end of 2025), which includes new sites in England, Wales and Scotland as part of the industry-led £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) project. But more are set to follow before 2027.

The SRN – originally supported by a commitment of £501m in public funding and £532m of private investment from operators – involves both the reciprocal sharing of existing masts in certain areas and the demand-led building and sharing of new masts in others between the operators.

The SRN has already achieved its first target a year ahead of schedule by ensuring that 96% of the UK’s landmass can now access a 4G mobile network from at least one operator (here), although the coverage range drops to 89-90% when looking look across all operators (here). The project is now focused on tackling the second target to reduce Total Not-Spot (TNS) areas by January 2027.

Most of the early work on this project has involved private investment from the main mobile network operators – O2 (Virgin Media), Vodafone (VodafoneThree) and EE (BT). But over the past few years we’ve also seen government-funded mast upgrades and new site builds taking place in other parts of the country.

Regional Summary (Mobile UK)

Wales

Wales has seen a significant portion of this year’s rollout, with 11 new masts activated to bring the nation’s total to 55 government-funded SRN sites. The upgrades mean that residents and visitors to historically isolated spots — such as Nant Gwynant in Snowdonia, Capel y Ffin, and Manafon — can now access reliable 4G mobile internet regardless of their network provider.

Scotland

In the Highlands, a new TNS site has gone live at Scardroy, situated roughly 45km west of Inverness. The TNS portion of the programme explicitly targets areas that previously had no coverage from any mobile operator.

England

Across northern England, dozens of mast upgrades are being switched on to address historic blackspots. In Yorkshire, 4 new masts (bringing the regional total to 11) have gone live in locations like Halton Gill, Westerdale, and Arncliffe. Meanwhile, in the North East and Cumbria, a further 2 masts have been activated (bringing their total to 16), providing improved digital infrastructure to communities in Sharperton and Longsleddale.

With further work currently underway across multiple sites, the programme continues its rollout to narrow the digital divide between urban and rural parts of the UK.

We understand that there are around 40 new and upgraded masts that still need to be completed before the final deadline.

Current SRN 4G Geographic Coverage Progress (June 2026)

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A Tribunal has ruled that broadband and phone provider BT’s role, obligations and statutory powers make it sufficiently public in character for environmental-information purposes, but network access provider Openreach’s separate corporate status means it does not cross that same legal threshold.

The case reflected an appeal by BT and Openreach, which had been raised after the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) initially determined that both of the operators should fall within Regulation 2(2) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) – effectively designating them as “public authorities” for the purpose of related information requests by members of the public or others.

The ICO’s view was that both should be subject to such EIR related information requests because they carry out services in the public interest, operate under a statutory framework (e.g. Ofcom’s various rules, BT’s broadband USO etc.), hold special legal powers beyond those available to normal private companies and have a big impact on environmental matters. Not to mention that such networks are now considered essential national infrastructure.

In short, the ICO argued that all of this meant the environmental information held by both companies should be accessible to the public in the same way as information held by many public bodies. But as commercial operators this was naturally something that BT and Openreach opposed.

The Tribunal examined all of this in some detail (see the ruling) and appeared concerned that the ICO’s argument might end up meaning that almost any contractor, employee or agent acting for a public authority could themselves become a public authority. But they also recognised that Openreach’s legal separation from BT was a significant difference, thus what may apply to once doesn’t necessarily apply to the other.

Judge Kiai said:

“The Tribunal concludes that BT is a “public authority” for the purposes of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 by virtue of regulation 2(2)(c): BT is entrusted under the applicable national law regime with the performance of services of public interest which have the requisite nontrivial nexus with the environment, and for that purpose is vested with special powers going beyond the normal rules applicable between private persons.

By contrast, Openreach is not a “public authority” under regulation 2(2)(c), because it is not itself vested under national law with the relevant special powers, and the operational fact that it acts as BT’s agent does not satisfy the distinct “vesting” requirement.

Nor is Openreach a public authority under regulation 2(2)(d), because the Commissioner has not shown, on the evidence taken as a whole, that BT is in a position to exert decisive influence such that Openreach does not determine in a genuinely autonomous manner the way it performs the relevant functions. It follows that the appeal is allowed only to the extent that the Decision Notice relating to Openreach must be substituted and is otherwise dismissed.”

The split decision is good news for Openreach, as it will not now have to deal with the complex extra admin and costs that would come from needing to respond to environmental information requests (similar to those imposed on some public bodies). But obviously the situation for BT is exactly the opposite.

A BT Group spokesperson told ISPreview:

“We note the Tribunal’s conclusions on BT and are carefully considering the judgment and our options. The issues engaged raise important points of principle about the scope of the Environmental Information Regulations as applied to commercial companies operating in competitive markets. We welcome the Tribunal’s finding that Openreach is not a public authority for the purposes of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.”

The ruling also opens the possibility that other infrastructure operators with statutory powers, including in different sectors, could in the future potentially be treated as public authorities under environmental information law.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Internet provider Hey! Broadband, which offers services to homes in various areas covered by the F&W Networks (Fibre and Wireless) full fibre infrastructure – mostly across the South East of England, has discounted their 400Mbps (symmetric) package to £23 per month for new customers that sign-up during the 2026 FIFA World Cup 2026.

The package is available on a 24-month minimum term, including a free installation and wireless router. But take note that a £2 mid-contract price rise does apply, thus the monthly price will increase to £25 from April 2027 and then £27 from April 2028.

The same 400Mbps package normally starts at £33 per month.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Broadband operator Netomnia (Substantial Group, YouFibre), which has deployed their full fibre (FTTP) network to cover over 3 million UK premises RFS (inc. 500,000 customers), have today confirmed that their deployment across the town of Sale in the Trafford district of Greater Manchester has reached 40,000 premises (RFS).

The original deployment in this area first began in early 2022 and the first homes then went live just before Christmas 2022, with the main build actually completing in 2023 – after 14-months of street works. The work was supported by a private investment of around £10m (c.£250 per premises passed) and is now complete.

Sale now sits alongside Didsbury, Cheetham Hill, and Oldham as part of Netomnia’s growing Greater Manchester footprint. Ian Kock, COO at Netomnia, said: “Delivering over 40,000 premises serviceable in Sale reflects how quickly demand for high-capacity connectivity is increasing across communities. Ensuring that homes and businesses have access to infrastructure that can handle that demand is critical, not just for today’s usage, but for how people will work, learn, and operate in the years ahead.”

Netomnia has long held an ambition to extend their FTTP network to reach 5 million UK premises by 2027 (inc. 1 million customers by 2028), although that now seems likely to be a target that will be merged into nexfibre’s future roll-out plans (depending upon the CMA’s competition review). Meanwhile, prices for YouFibre’s broadband packages start at £24 per month for symmetric speeds of 200Mbps on a 12-month fixed-price term and rise to £99.99 for their top 7Gbps tier. All packages include free installation and a Wi-Fi 7 router.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

The post GoFibre expands Scottish fibre rollout appeared first on Total Telecom.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Alternative rural broadband ISP Wildanet, which is building a new 2Gbps speed full fibre (FTTP) network across rural parts of South West England (Devon and Cornwall), has today announced that they’ve upgraded their service to deliver symmetric speeds (i.e. the same speeds for both downloads and uploads).

Just to be clear. Wildanet appear to be introducing this as a premium service feature, rather than an upgrade at no extra cost like some of their rivals. For example, the provider’s 200Mbps (download) package with a 40Mbps upload speed still costs £27 per month on a 24-month minimum term with free setup and a bundled router, but if you want this at symmetric speeds then it’ll cost £31 per month (an extra +£4).

The arrival of symmetrical speeds at up to 2Gbps represents a further evolution in Wildanet’s network and has been enabled by the company’s use of more modern XGS-PON full fibre technology.

Simon Hughes, Wildanet CCO, said:

“Digital connectivity is now fundamental infrastructure for both communities and the economy. Cornwall and Devon have huge strengths in innovation, creativity and emerging industries but if the county is to realise its full potential it needs digital capability on a par with anywhere else in the UK. Symmetrical connectivity helps support the way people increasingly live and work, whether that’s running a business, collaborating remotely, studying online or managing a busy connected household.

The launch of Cornwall Connected highlights just how important digital infrastructure has become to Cornwall’s future. Reliable, high-capacity connectivity is essential for creating opportunity, attracting investment and supporting the next generation of innovation and growth. We’re proud to be playing our part in helping deliver that future.”

So far the provider claims their full-fibre rollout has already seen more than 50,000 connections enabled across the region, through a combination of private investment and publicly funded initiatives.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Edinburgh-based UK alternative network operator GoFibre, which is building full fibre (FTTP) broadband across rural parts of Scotland and Northern England, has provided an update on their rollout in the North East of Scotland under the publicly subsidised Project Gigabit contract. The first locations have now started to go live for customers.

Just to recap. GoFibre’s Project Gigabit contract for North East Scotland, which was first awarded back in July 2025 (here) and began its build phase in February 2026, is worth £105m (public subsidy) and aims for their network coverage to reach a total of around 63,000 premises across hard-to-reach rural areas (c.100,000 if you include their commercial build).

According to the latest progress update, the first connections have already gone live in Ezdell, Inverbervie, Longforgan, Montrose, Dunkeld, Bankfoot, Newtonhill, Portlethen, Alyth and Coupar Angus. Alongside improved digital infrastructure, the rollout is also said to be creating 30 direct construction roles and supporting up to 180 jobs across the lifetime of the rollout, including subcontracted work.

As above, GoFibre will also be adding additional premises to the build on a commercial basis, meaning at least 100,000 premises across the North East will be added to its full fibre network. As part of this they’re extending their existing footprint of around 15,300 premises in Angus (including Montrose, Forfar and Kirriemuir) and 9,600 premises in Aberdeenshire (including Laurencekirk, Stonehaven and Newtonhill).

Andy Hepburn, COO at GoFibre, said:

“GoFibre’s on a mission to improve digital connectivity in rural and hard-to-reach areas. It’s fantastic to see more homes and businesses in Perth & Kinross and Aberdeenshire Scotland ready to connect to our network and able to enjoy the same lightning-fast, ultra-reliable connectivity as the country’s cities.

We are not only committed to helping to bridge the digital divide in rural Scotland; we are also delivering economic benefits to the communities we are connecting by creating jobs during the rollout.”

New customers can expect to pay from just £22.50 per month for speeds of 150Mbps (30Mbps upload) on a 24-month minimum term, which rises to £34.50 for their top 1000Mbps (100Mbps upload) tier. Take note that £200 of Switching Credit is available for those looking to migrate while still stuck in an existing contract with another ISP. But monthly prices also increase by £3 each December.

The provider currently expects to deploy their new full fibre based broadband network to reach a UK footprint of 250,000 premises by around mid-2028, and they were home to a total of around 15,000 customers as of June 2025.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has today revealed that their Direct-to-Device (D2D) based O2 Satellite service (here), which for £3 extra per month enables normal Smartphones to connect to their mobile network via Starlink’s cell-focused broadband satellites, now also works on Google Pixel devices (phones).

Just to recap. The new service harnesses SpaceX’s global Starlink constellation in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to support a satellite based 4G mobile data (broadband) connection via part of the 1800MHz (B3) band, which enables connectivity in even some of the remotest parts of the UK. In addition, users also benefit from greater general resilience, at least when outside a building.

The new service, once applied, effectively boosted O2’s UK landmass mobile coverage from 89% to 95%, delivering a coverage uplift equivalent to an area around two thirds the size of Wales. The service is designed to complement O2’s existing mobile network, and customers will connect automatically when traditional cellular coverage is unavailable.

However, at launch in February 2026 it only supported a limited number of handsets, all of which were based off the Android operating system (mostly Samsung models). Since then they’ve added support for Apple’s iPhones, and they’ve now extended this to include Google’s Pixel phones (starting with the Google Pixel 9 onwards).

Chris Bournes, Commercial Director at VMO2, said:

“When we launched O2 Satellite, we wanted to make satellite connectivity available on the devices our customers already use every day.

The addition of Google Pixel devices is another important step forward and means even more customers can benefit from the reassurance of staying connected in places where traditional mobile coverage isn’t available.

As satellite technology continues to evolve, we’re excited to keep expanding access and bringing the benefits to more people.”

The service does, however, have some limitations and won’t work everywhere. For example, it will initially only being able to support text messaging and limited data connectivity across specific apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Maps and more. But we expect all of this to improve with time.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Last night at 9pm saw England take on Croatia in their first FIFA World Cup 2026 match and, given the growing prevalence of TV streaming solutions and the fact that the match took place outside of normal working hours, we were keen to learn whether this would have a noticeable impact on internet traffic. ISPreview has thus examined the impact on several networks.

In the past such events, when taking place outside of working hours, wouldn’t have moved the network traffic dials all that much because people have tended to tune in via more traditional terrestrial TV signals. But these days video streaming-based TV platforms are much more common and thus live sporting events might now have a more noticeable impact.

However, weighing against that is the fact that broadband and mobile providers usually prepare for such events in advance, often by delaying routine maintenance and laying on extra capacity (example). Internet providers also use sophisticated Content Delivery Networks (CDN) and systems to help manage the load, which caches popular content closer in their network to end-users (i.e. improves performance without adding much strain to external links).

As usual ISPreview were monitoring to see what kind of impact the match would have on data traffic (i.e. we asked several broadband and mobile operators to monitor the event) and the first of several results have now come in. We’ll kick things off with data from the London Internet Exchange (LINX), which handles a large chunk of UK and global traffic through their switches via around 900+ members (ISPs, mobile and CDN providers etc.).

The traffic levels for 17th June 2026 across all of LINX’s UK exchanges (depicted on the right side of this chart), particularly their largest LON1 IXP, don’t show anything remarkable. The daily peak was actually lower than the day before, although the length of time that traffic levels spent above the 8Tbps (Terabits per second) mark on LON1 was longer than on prior days – possibly reflecting the length of the match.

Netomnia has similarly reported that “there wasn’t any noticeable increase in traffic levels” during the match, when traffic across their alternative broadband network actually dropped a little when compared with the same peak on Wednesday night (consistent with LINX above). We’re currently awaiting feedback from several other operators and will update this article when that arrives.

The situation may of course be different for events held during working hours.

UPDATE 10:24am

According to Virgin Media and O2 – compared to a normal week, mobile data traffic was up 9.16% during the game (likely reflecting greater use of social media). But fixed broadband traffic saw no significant change.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network benchmarking firm Opensignal has this morning published their latest analysis of 5G non-standalone mobile (mobile broadband) and 5G Standalone (5G+) availability and performance across Europe. The results rank the UK last in Europe with average download speeds one-third of Denmark’s and the lowest Excellent Consistent Quality score in the region.

As usual the data in this report is based off crowdsourced testing, which has been gathered by users of Opensignal’s app on millions of devices (Smartphones etc.). The analysis draws on data collected during Q1 2026 – covering 29 European markets, encompassing the EU-27 (excluding Malta), plus the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland – collectively referred to as the European region in this study.

Overall, the study found that the “vast majority of connectivity time” in Europe is still over 4G, while wide-scale 5G+ deployment in Europe are localised to just 11 networks and its “most tangible impact” is on network responsiveness. As for the UK, we rank just 29th out of 29 European markets in Opensignal’s Global Network Excellence Index.

The UK ranks last in Europe with average download speeds (84Mbps), coming in at just one-third of front-runner Denmark’s speed (226Mbps), and we also have the lowest Excellent Consistent Quality (ECQ) score in the region (80% in the UK vs 93.1% in Denmark). In addition, 5G Availability in the UK is also low at 57.4%, although people in this country do spend more time connected to 5G+ networks (5.2%) than most of the other countries, except Spain on 9.3% and Switzerland on 10.4%.

In short, 5G+ is only just beginning to take hold, and only among a select group of operators. Across the region, 5G users spent just 1.8% of their connection time on 5G+ in Q1 2026, a figure that masks a wide gap between a handful of leaders and everyone else. Looking at individual mobile operators in the UK, the ‘Time on 5G+‘ score for EE’s (BT) customers was 8.3%, then 5.3% for O2 (Virgin Media) and 4% for Vodafone (Vodafone and Three UK).

The study also examines what kind of mobile broadband performance improvement 5G+ delivers when compared with 4G and regular 5G (NSA). Overall, 5G+ users recorded average download speeds of 180.2Mbps against 153.2Mbps on 5G NSA, an 18% download uplift; with latency being 17% faster (39.5ms vs 32.6ms); and Consistent Quality (CQ) improving by up 1.6 percentage points (87.8% vs 89.4%).

Sadly Opensignal did not examine upload speeds, which is an usual thing to leave out when considering 5G+. Otherwise, the study noted that the scale of the 5G+ rollout is driven by commercial strategy, not technical capability, and the availability of radio spectrum is no longer considered the limiting factor (most operators now have plenty of it).

Opensignal’s analysis suggests that operators making the strongest moves on 5G+ are disproportionately the ones with the most ground to make up on overall network quality, which certainly seems true for the UK.