A new Strand Partners survey of 4,000 members of the UK public, which was commissioned by broadband and mobile providers Virgin Media and O2 (VMO2), has claimed that over a third of rural residents (or 66% of “young people“) are likely to be considering a move away to a town or city in the next 12 months. Poor internet connectivity is one of the key drivers for this.

According to the survey, the young people who are looking to leave rural areas claim that the main driving forces behind this include a lack of career opportunities (30%), poor access to services (25%) and a lack of “high-quality connectivity” (24%).

The research finds that many rural residents are struggling to access the internet, with 48% of those living in rural areas experiencing connectivity problems at least “a few times a week“, although the survey makes no attempt to define this (i.e. what kind of connectivity problems and are they related to network operators or devices within the home etc.?).

In addition, some 51% of rural Britons said their ability to work from home is negatively impacted by “poor connectivity“, with 30% claiming to not have adequate connectivity to work remotely at all. But the survey didn’t attempt to answer whether those surveyed could have perhaps found a better service via a different mobile or broadband provider. The survey only seems to consider the user’s existing experience and not wider network availability / choices or whether alternatives, like Starlink, might be viable.

Finally, 57% of rural residents were found to be worried that the departure of young people could make rural areas less desirable and lead to businesses pulling planned investments from the countryside. But VMO2 does make the point that the £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) project and the £5bn Project Gigabit scheme are working to improve rural 4G and gigabit-broadband cover.

However, the real purpose of this survey is to act as another vehicle for VMO2 to encourage the new UK Labour-led government to ensure that their Planning and Infrastructure Bill makes it “faster and easier to deliver essential new mobile and broadband infrastructure” (details here and here). For example, VMO2 notes how planning applications for new 4G and 5G mobile masts can take over 6 months to be approved on average.

Jeanie York, CTO of Virgin Media O2, said:

“Our research shows that poor connectivity is pushing Britain’s countryside into crisis. From deserted high streets to fewer job opportunities and issues accessing essential services, rural residents are telling us loud and clear that poor connectivity is hampering their daily lives.

The industry has a £1 billion plan to improve rural connectivity, but the Shared Rural Network relies on collaboration between industry partners, the UK Government, planning authorities and landowners.

Alongside existing investment, we need better rules in place to make it easier and faster for the industry to deliver what we promised to disconnected rural communities. The government must implement its Planning and Infrastructure Bill as a matter of urgency. It’s the only way to empower a new generation of rural innovators and revitalise high streets and communities across the countryside.”

Boosting rural deployments via planning reform and other changes is definitely something that network operators, as well as those suffering from the poorest levels of digital connectivity, might welcome. But the new government will also have to tread carefully, given the current and somewhat growing opposition – at the local level – to the deployment of new poles (telegraph poles) for running fibre optic lines.

Similar gripes are often also levelled against new mobile masts. But a lot of related planning applications for those can also be held up by frivolous or vexatious complaints, often coming from people who don’t even live in the affected area.

Suffice to say that striking the right balance on such issues remains fraught with difficulty, while completely trusting network operators to only ever do the right thing inside a community may be unwise (some do and others will try to force poles into private gardens etc.).

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a website advert for internet streaming and broadband provider NOW TV (aka – NOW Broadband), which is a sibling of Sky UK, after it was found to have failed to clearly set out that their basic TV plans (subscriptions) included ads (unless you paid extra for the ‘Boost’ upgrade).

The original complaint centred around an advert on the NOW TV website, which was seen on 29th March 2024 (relatively recent by ASA standards) and featured an offer on the Entertainment TV Plan, which reduced it to £6.99 per month for the first six months (normally £9.99).

Related T&Cs were listed below the advert in a drop-down section, in small text, stating “… Cinema and Boost members only. After your 7-day free trial […] Boost auto-renews at £6 a month, unless cancelled. You can cancel anytime. Ad-free excludes live channels and trailers promoting NOW content. Boost features available on selected content and devices only. See here for more details”.

However, one person complained that the ad was “misleading” because it did not make clear that, without the ‘Boost’ upgrade, all NOW TV membership plans included ads. But Sky countered by acknowledging that the ad did not state that the on-demand content available as part of NOW’s membership plans would feature advertising, before adding that they “considered that the presence of ads was not a main characteristic of the service and therefore that it was not material information“. The ASA disagreed.

ASA Ruling REF: A24-1240257 Sky UK Ltd

The next section of the webpage included information about the types of content included in the Entertainment, Cinema, and Sports membership plans, but did not state that those membership plans included ads. Website visitors could click on a membership plan and follow through to complete a purchase without being presented with clear information that those plans included ads unless they subscribed to the Boost upgrade.

Finally, at the bottom of the home page, under the question “What do I get with NOW Boost?” drop-down in the “Frequently asked questions” section, information clearly explained that the Boost upgrade was ad-free.

We noted that neither the home page nor webpages about the different basic membership plans clearly set out that those plans included ads. Additionally, information that clearly set out that the Boost upgrade was the service which enabled ad-free viewing was either two clicks away from the main body text which described membership plans, or one click away and at the bottom of a long webpage.

We concluded that the ad omitted the material information that the basic Entertainment, Cinema and Sports plans included ads, and did not make sufficiently clear that to have ad-free viewing, consumers must pay an additional cost for the Boost upgrade.

The ad therefore breached the Code. The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.4.1 (Misleading advertising), 3.9 and 3.10 (Qualification).

The ASA ordered NOW TV to stop showing the advert in its current form and to “ensure that future ads did not omit material information, such as the inclusion of ads with basic streaming membership plans.”

Budget conscious broadband ISP TalkTalk has informed ISPreview that they’re preparing to follow Ofcom’s new guidance on inflation-linked annual broadband price rises. In practice, this means that new and re-contracting (upgrading) customers will be hit by a flat annual price increase of £3 (monthly) each April.

As above, the new policy is designed to reflect the regulator’s recent move to BAN broadband ISPs and mobile operators from doing mid-contract price hikes that are linked to confusing inflation and percentage-based changes (here). BT, Plusnet, EE and Vodafone have already adopted an identical approach to the one that TalkTalk are about to introduce (details below)

However, Ofcom’s change was never designed to stop mid-contract hikes completely (it’s more about making future pricing clearer and simpler), but it did require providers to tell customers precisely what any future price increases would be when they sign-up (“in pounds and pence“). This rules out changes to core subscription prices that are linked to unknown future inflation values or percentages.

From 12th August 2024, customers joining or re-contracting with TalkTalk will now see the monthly amount they pay for their broadband increase by £3 annually in April each year. Customers who joined TalkTalk before 12th August 2024 will continue to see the price of their broadband contract increase by CPI, plus 3.7% in April (this applies to in-contract and out-of-contract customers).

But the provider does note that their financially vulnerable customers will continue to be excluded from the annual broadband price rise. TalkTalk claims that almost a quarter of their customers did not receive a mid-contract broadband price increase this year due to exemptions, even though the provider’s own wholesale costs did increase.

Susie Buckridge, TalkTalk CEO, told ISPreview:

“For more than 20 years TalkTalk has focused on delivering value for customers. We remain fully committed to providing great value broadband and ensuring our customers have a clear understanding of the price they will pay throughout their contract.

We will be moving away from an inflation-linked annual broadband price rise to a flat increase following Ofcom’s new guidance. We believe this will help improve transparency and consumer understanding of the change.”

The concern for consumers is that this approach does have its flaws, such as with the fact that it may make some cheaper packages more expensive than they would have been under the old system (particularly now that CPI inflation has returned to a more normal level). The fact that providers can also specify a specific rise ahead of time will also do little to dampen calls for an outright ban on mid-contract hikes in favour of fixed term pricing – something we’d support.

At this point it’s worth remembering that not all providers adopt the same approach as the biggest players and many smaller ISPs, particularly newer alternative networks (altnets), often promote packages with simple fixed price terms. We should also point out that Ofcom won’t formally begin to enforce this change on the market until 17th January 2025 and TalkTalk are working toward full compliance by then too.

The new policy is typically only focused upon the core subscription price of a package, thus call charges and any paid add-ons may adopt a different approach.

Edinburgh-based alternative network provider GoFibre (BorderLink), which has already rolled out their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to 100,000 rural premises across the North England and the Scottish Borders, has today celebrated the first anniversary of their £50,000 GoFurther charity fund by awarding more projects.

Just to recap. The GoFurther Fund offers grants of up to £3,000 to help local charity projects and community organisations in the regions of Aberdeenshire, Angus, Fife, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders etc. So far they’ve already awarded around £15k to various different organisations and today three more (total of £9k) were added – The Haven (Aberdeenshire) – £3,000, Kirrie Connections (Angus) – £3,000 and North East Sensory Services (Angus) – £3,000.

For a bit of context, The Haven offers a wide range of free activities to combat social isolation in Stonehaven, while Kirrie Connections is a dementia support hub in Kirriemuir and North East Sensory Services (NESS) provides the first integrated sensory services for people with sight or hearing loss across Angus.

Neil Conaghan, CEO of GoFibre, said:

“These three organisations are already making a difference across their communities, and their incredible efforts reinforce the idea that this kind of grassroots support can genuinely create a better future for the next generation. That’s why it is important for us to recognise and boost the incredible work of charities and organisations across Scotland.

There has been a clear response from local communities that there is a continued need for the work of organisations like The Haven, Kirrie Connections and North East Sensory Services and we are incredibly proud to be able to support them in their mission to continue transforming local lives.”

Customers of the GoFibre’s network can expect to pay from £36 per month (currently discounted to £29) for a 135Mbps (25Mbps upload) package on a 24-month term with an included wireless router, which rises to £69 per month (currently discounted to £49) for their top 900Mbps (100Mbps upload) plan. The latter also comes with a bonus Wi-Fi extender (this can optionally be taken on other plans at extra cost).

News

Following a consultation, Ofcom will now require mobile network operators to identify and block calls from abroad which falsely display a UK telephone number

In February, Ofcom opened a consultation into how better to block scam calls from abroad that masquerade as originating from within the UK.

Now, with the consultation complete, the regulator is formally updating its industry guidance to require the operators to identify and block these calls, with few exceptions.

This measure, Ofcom says, will have “a significant impact on protecting the public from scam calls”, noting that BT is already blocking up to one million calls per day after implementing the guidance on a voluntary basis earlier this year.

Indeed, the scale of the scam call challenge should not be underestimated. Research from Ofcom this year showed that 48% of landline user and 39% of mobile users said they had received a scam call in the last three months. While these figures are down from those recording in 2021 (56% and 45%, respectively), this still equates to millions of scam calls reaching customers every year.

The new measures introduced today should go some way to reduce these numbers further, but it is worth noting that the regulations only apply to incoming calls featuring the UK dialling code (+44), leaving incoming calls presenting as UK mobile phones (+447) unaffected.

Ofcom has today issued a Call for Input to stakeholders on how best to tackle scam calls originating from +447 numbers without negatively impacting legitimate consumers calling from abroad.

“Criminals who defraud people by exploiting phone networks cause huge distress and financial harm to their victims. While there’s encouraging signs that scam calls and texts are declining, they remain widespread and we’re keeping our foot to the throttle to find new and innovative ways to tackle the problem,” said Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s Group Director for Networks and Communications.

“Under our strengthened industry guidance, millions more scam calls from abroad which use spoofed UK landline numbers will be blocked – with similar plans underway for calls which spoof UK mobile numbers. We’re also challenging the industry and other interested parties to provide evidence on the best solutions to tackle mobile messaging scams.”

How is the UK telecoms landscape changing in 2024? Join the discussion at Connected Britain 2024, the UK’s largest digital economy event

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MONTCLAIR, N.J., July 29, 2024 – Sitetracker, the world’s leading provider of deployment operations management software, is expanding its GIS Link tool with the addition of VETRO, the market-leading cloud-native fiber management system provider. Announced at Fiber Connect 2024, the partnership provides Sitetracker’s broadband customers with geospatial design data from VETRO so they can plan and deploy fiber networks with greater speed and efficiency.

With the two-way integration between VETRO’s FiberMap interactive mapping and asset inventory solution and Sitetracker, customers gain enriched GIS-driven workflows and visualized network buildouts. The partnership provides companywide visibility into programs and projects, efficient resource allocation, and smoother handoffs between project phases, enhancing collaboration among engineering and construction teams.

“Fiber network deployments and expansions are complex and require intricate coordination across multiple teams and systems,” said Giuseppe Incitti, CEO, Sitetracker. “As operators and contractors globally attempt to meet aggressive FTTH buildout targets, while optimizing historic private and public funding, they need more precision, detail, and insights than ever before. With VETRO’s mapping incorporated, Sitetracker customers have an end-to-end fiber solution that gives them the tools they need to succeed.”

Among the key features Sitetracker will offer with the new integration are easy importing of processes for fiber designs, automatic assignment of work to design elements, and status and progress updates directly linked to designs.

“Sitetracker is unlocking new efficiencies and management solutions that, combined with our intuitive fiber management system, are radically transforming the broadband landscape,” said Will Mitchell, CEO, VETRO. “Working together to bring greater clarity and control over fiber networks will improve network and business performances across the globe.”

Sitetracker’s platform is the digital infrastructure backbone for fiber deployments worldwide, including over 40% of the leading broadband providers in the United States today. Earlier this summer, the company added new production tracking capabilities for fiber companies, resulting in quicker invoicing and payments, and continues to invest in partnerships and product innovation that provide customers with real-time solutions to make their planning, design, and build processes easier.

Sitetracker is showcasing its latest innovations for the broadband industry at Fiber Connect 2024 this week.

About Sitetracker

Sitetracker powers the rapid deployment of tomorrow’s infrastructure. The global leader in deployment operations management software, Sitetracker helps innovative companies like Cox, Telefonica, EVgo, E.on, Engie, Nextera, Comcast, ChargePoint, Cypress Creek Renewables, Ziply, Southern Company, Iberdrola, Vodafone, Vantage Towers, VerticalBridge, and Congruex plan, deploy, and manage millions of programs, projects, sites, and assets across nearly 300 customers globally. By giving digital infrastructure, clean energy, EV charging, utility, and real estate teams a cloud-based solution that works easily and effectively, Sitetracker accelerates the transition to a fully connected and sustainable future. Deploy what’s next. For more information, please request a demo.

About VETRO

At VETRO, we believe visualizing data unlocks hidden potential, radically simplifying the way businesses operate and digitizing the future of connectivity. We focus on empowering network operators with unparalleled clarity and control over their fiber networks, enabling them to move faster, better, and more efficiently than ever before. Our revolutionary platform isn’t just software – it’s the physical network asset system of record, offering unprecedented visibility and control from strategic planning to daily operations. We empower our customers to bridge the digital divide at a rapid pace, unlock unforeseen opportunities, and squeeze the maximum value from their networks. Let’s illuminate the unseen, digitize the way we connect, and shape the future of connectivity, together. https://vetrofibermap.com/

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Network operator and broadband ISP CommunityFibre, which has built a 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across 1.4 million UK premises – mostly in London, has today announced an expansion of their initiative offering “free access to 100% full fibre broadband to eligible Londoners struggling to get online“.

Just to recap. The initiative, which first launched in May 2024 (here) alongside support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Jobcentre Plus, was initially only available to Londoners across six Jobcentre Plus sites within the Woolwich, Peckham, Tower Hamlets, Harlesden, Barnsbury and Finsbury Park areas.

Eligible people within this area would get 12-months of free 50Mbps full fibre broadband under the offer. But for those who are not eligible, CommunityFibre still offers a separate 35Mbps social broadband tariff at £12.50 a month (rising to £16.50 after the first 12-months), although their 35Mbps plan isn’t technically a true Social Tariff because it’s available to everybody covered by their network (i.e. not just those on state benefits).

The main change today is that the provider has now expanded the availability of this scheme to include people covered by the Streatham and Hoxton sites of Jobcentre Plus.

Andrew Western, Minister for Transformation, said:

“I’m so pleased we are able to expand this offering to even more people, after having already helped so many Londoners gain access to free high-speed internet.”

Access to the internet is vital, be it to apply for jobs or to simply stay connected. I urge anyone who thinks they may be eligible to check in with their Work Coach.”

Graeme Oxby, CEO of Community Fibre, said:

“Our research has shown that two-thirds (69%) of Londoners view broadband in the same way they view their gas, water, and electricity services. To apply for new jobs, contact a GP or access government services, a reliable internet connection is key, and we’re proud to be working alongside the DWP and Jobcentre Plus to bring fibre broadband to those who need it most.”

It’s worth pointing out that the provider has separately connected more than 650 community spaces with a free 1 Gbps full fibre connection, as well as providing free digital skills training for residents and supporting community-led initiatives through sponsorship.

News

The AI-based diagnosis service ‘X Caliber’ can help vets to analyse pet X-ray images in under 30 seconds

SK Telecom (SKT) has this week signed a trio of agreements with veterinary companies in Southeast Asia to supply them with its AI-based diagnostic service, X Caliber.

Launched domestically in South Korea by SKT back in 2022, X Caliber uses AI modelling to assess pet X-ray images and provided diagnostic insights in under 30 seconds.

At launch, the solution had a disease detection rate of 84–86%, while also showing 97% accuracy in measuring VHS (Vertebral Heart Scale). Initially, X Caliber was only able to analyse X-rays of dogs, but this has since been expanded to include cats.

The solution was developed in collaboration with five South Korean universities, which supplied the training data for the AI system.

In November last year, SKT announced new partnerships that would see the solution rolled out in Australia, Singapore, and Japan.

Now, the latest batch of deals will see X Caliber rolled out in Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

In Malaysia, the deal with My Vet Care will see X Caliber offered commercially across the country in Q3 this year.
In Thailand, X Caliber will be available immediately at Happy Pet Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand.
In Vietnam, Vet Sky Holdings will introduce X Caliber at its SKY Animal Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City later this month.

“SKT’s AI capabilities in the Southeast Asian pet market are set to enhance and innovate the pet care environment through these successful agreements,” said Ha Min-yong, Chief Development Officer of SKT. “We are committed to leading the global promotion of South Korea’s AI technology through transformative initiatives across diverse industries.”

SKT is currently attempting to transform its business model from a traditional telco to an AI tech company, investing millions of dollars into AI companies in recent years. Just last month, for example, the company invested $10 million in generative AI search engine Perplexity, a company aimed at challenging Google’s monopoly over the internet search market.

By taking a leading role in the development of AI technology, SKT hopes to unlock reveue streams in markets previously out of reach. With X Caliber, it seems that this strategy is already bearing fruit.

Keep up to date with all of the latest telecoms news from around th world with Total Telecom’s daily newsletter

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News

A ‘landmark’ ruling against T-Mobile earlier this year could see carriers held responsible for their employees’ breaches of consumer privacy

A lawsuit was filed against AT&T on Monday arguing that the telco is liable for the actions of an employee who stole nude photos from a customer’s mobile phone.

The case explains that a female customer brought her iPhone to an AT&T store in Los Angeles as part of a routine upgrade. The indicted employee then accessed explicit photos of the customer and distributed them without consent.

The legal filing accuses AT&T of failing to implement sufficient security measures to protect its customers data.

Lawsuits of this kind are nothing new; in fact, all three of the big US wireless carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) have faced similar court cases in recent years, according to CNBC.

However, in the past these lawsuits have typically been dismissed quickly, with the carriers successfully arguing that they are not legally responsible for the actions of employees acting outside of their job remit.

But the tide could be changing. Earlier this year, a similar court case against T-Mobile was allowed to proceed by a judge, who ruled that the operator could feasibly be liable for the harm done to its customer.

This “landmark” decision “sets an important precedent”, according to Laura Hecht-Felalla of CA Goldberg, the lawfirm responsible for both the T-Mobile and AT&T cases.

“We intend to continue to try to hold phone companies accountable for situations like this where their employees violate customer privacy during phone trade-ins or other transactions at the stores,” said Hecht-Felella. “There’s a lot of different ways in which they can try to prevent this from happening and it’s clear whatever they’re currently doing is not adequate.”

Reports suggest that T-Mobile has faced at least eight lawsuits alleging the theft of sensitive customer images over the past decade.

“For almost a decade, T-Mobile customers across the United States have regularly reported, evidenced by news stories and lawsuits, instances of retail store employees stealing their intimate videos, explicit photos, and bank accounts,” read the lawsuit. “Nevertheless, T-Mobile has failed to implement any common-sense security hardware or software to protect consumers from their data and privacy being exploited during ordinary transactions at the T-Mobile store.”

T-Mobile rejects this argument, noting that the employee in question was from a third-party retailer and that the company has “policies and procedures in place to protect customer information”.

Of course, the judge’s decision to allow the T-Mobile case to proceed with the case does not mean that the AT&T case will do likewise. However, it does set a valuable precedent that could encourage more injured parties to take legal action, potentially driving the telcos to implement more stringent security measures during these in-store interactions.

“That’s what litigation does. It says you can be held responsible for your negligence,” said CA Goldberg founder Carrie Goldberg. “And presumably that will induce the phone companies to innovate on their safety and privacy protections for consumers at their stores.”

Are telcos doing enough to protect their customers sensitive data? Join the connectivity ecosystem in discussion at Connected America 2025

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Rural broadband ISP Wildanet, which is building a new full fibre (FTTP) network across South West England, has chosen network solutions provider Xantaro to help support their deployments in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with Street Cabinet and Exchange Solutions.

The provider, which originally started life as a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband provider in the same area, is estimated to have already extended their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to cover around 30,000 premises (here) – short of the 50k target they originally set for the end of 2023.

In January 2023 the operator also secured the £36m state aid fuelled Project Gigabit broadband contract to cover more than 19,250 premises in Cornwall (here), which was followed in April 2024 by a £41.2m contract to connect 16,800 premises across the rest of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (here). Both are designed to complement their existing commercial build.

Xantaro has now been chosen to source, build and install all necessary communications cabinets and exchange solutions for the project, further “increasing the speed and efficiency of the build“. Xantaro will also be providing professional services to Wildanet, to “ensure a professionally configured network with minimal disruption.”

Stephen Kingdom, CTO of Fixed Networks at Xantaro, said:

“Xantaro is delighted to have been selected by Wildanet to construct one of the UK’s most resilient, high-capacity, and future-proof networks. Drawing on our extensive experience with altnets across the UK and our longstanding partnership with Nokia, we are pleased to be delivering cutting-edge cabinet technology and professional services to Wildanet. Together, we will accelerate the deployment of fibre and essential connectivity to underserved communities.”

Xantaro’s fully integrated cabinet and exchange solutions will apparently be delivered to site a fully tested, pre-built and configured solution, incorporating the Nokia OLT, VIAVI centralised OTDR test head, Out of Band (OOB) Management solution, iLOQ features and more.

The OOB management solution means the cabinet can be fully controlled and managed prior to any backhaul solution being deployed, enabling PON ports to be managed and ODN build to progress smoothly. Xantaro will further support Wildanet with the deployment of the Nokia network management solutions.

Customers of Wildanet’s service typically pay from £29 per month to receive a 200Mbps (40Mbps upload) package on a 24-month term with free installation, which rises to £69 if you want their top 900Mbps (200Mbps upload) package. The provider also offers a Social Tariff for those on state benefits, which gives you 50Mbps (20Mbps upload) speeds for just £19 per month on a 12-month contract.