Earlier this month the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, proposed to stop publishing its annual summary of fixed home broadband ISP speeds (here). But they’ve today followed that by proposing to also reduce the frequency of their Comparing Customer Service (CCS) tracker surveys to every other year. Ofcom currently runs a number of regular, recurring tracker […]

Broadband ISP and mobile operator EE (BT) has today, as previously leaked (here), announced the soft launch of the UK’s first 1.6Gbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) package on Openreach’s network and the supporting introduction of a new Wi-Fi 6 capable Smart Hub Plus (Smart Hub 3) router and other kit. Just to recap. BT announced a major […]

One of Austria’s top mobile operators, spusu, has today announced that they’ve launched in the United Kingdom with the aim of challenging the likes of giffgaff, VOXI and SMARTY. As part of that they’re offering customers a discounted unlimited plan (calls, texts and 5G data / mobile broadband) from just £19.90 per month. The press […]

The UK Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP and BCAP) – sister bodies to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – have today set out new guidance for how broadband ISPs and mobile operators should communicate mid-contract prices hikes to consumers, which will make such policies clearer and more transparent. In an ideal world, consumers who take […]

Manchester-based network operator and ISP Telcom Group (ClearFibre, WeFibre, HyperCity etc.), which via its sub-brands is building various 10Gbps capable “full fibre” broadband and Ethernet networks across the Midlands and North West of England, has chosen solutions from IP Fusion to help upgrade their network. The operator, which a few years ago secured a significant […]

News

Dutch-based United Group is working with US-based Parallel Wireless to trial Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) technology in Bulgaria on the Vivacom network.

Vivacom is a major MNO in Bulgaria and is one of eight countries in which United Group operates. Collectively the group services more than 15 million users and has nearly 15,000 employees.

The trial in Bulgaria is a combination of lab testing and field testing on Vivacom’s existing network and seeks to demonstrate successful implantation of ORAN networks in both urban and rural environments. The aim is to showcase that ORAN across 2G, 4G, and 5G can deliver equivalent or improved performance compared to traditional radio access networks (SRAN).

Vivacom CEO, Nikolay Andreev, flagged that “ORAN brings opportunities for greater vendor diversity and much-needed innovation in the mobile radio network sector,” and further commented “This technology will provide flexibility and competitiveness for operators, and improved services for customers. We hope this trial will be the first step in delivering ORAN technology to Bulgaria.”

Steve Papa, Founder & CEO of Parallel Wireless commented that “Bulgaria is a great place to showcase the benefits of ORAN demonstrating its flexibility and agility, allowing United Group & Vivacom the freedom to choose its vendors without being locked in with one specific vendor”

The Netherlands is not only HQ for United Group but is also the location of this years Total Telecom Congress. Join us for the Technology Congress on the 22 November for the panel discussion “Open RAN for network efficiency and better services”. Find out more at totaltele.com/congress

New customers looking to take one of Sky Broadband’s plans may like to know that the ISP has begun offering their FTTC and FTTP powered “Superfast” (61Mbps) and “Ultrafast Plus” (500Mbps) packages at half price until the end of 2023, which means that they now cost £17 (£34.50 thereafter) and £24 (£48 thereafter) respectively. The […]

Residents in the Eden Valley (Cumbria) villages of Warcop, Sandford, Coupland Beck, Bleatarn and Ormside have been left angry after the Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency, which had been due to supply gigabit vouchers to help them get a new full fibre (FTTP) network installed, put their project into limbo. Community ISP and fibre […]

News

It has possibly been one of telecoms worst kept secrets, ever since Vodafone and CK Hutchison confirmed they were talking about a merger last October, but now the two have formerly entered into binding agreements relating to their UK telecommunication businesses.

The combined business (Mergence) will be 51% owned by Vodafone and 49% by CKHGT and according to Vodafone Group Chief Executive, Margherita Della Valle, it’s going to be great!

Well at least that is the message “great for customers, great for the country and great for competition.” which is also reflected on the MergeCo microsite vodafoneandthree.uk

The announcement flags a range of benefits for the UK and customers including the suggestion that the merger will create jobs and support digital transformation of the UK’s businesses, delivering up to £5 billion per year in economic benefit by 2030 and that it will deliver its own version of levelling up by creating a third operator with scale and increasing competition in the UK market.

Analysts are suggesting that this merger has a greater chance of going through than previous attempts at consolidation with James Robinson, Senior Analyst at Assembly commenting that “With the Government’s recent Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, the merger announcement, with its commitment to investment and jobs, comes at an opportune moment. Together, Three and Vodafone would be better equipped to deliver ultrafast, reliable and secure mobile connectivity throughout the UK – the exact thing the Government’s pro-investment strategy wants to see.”

Whilst Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight said “A marriage of convenience makes sense. Scale is key to help lower costs and improve margins. It will take years before we see the real fruits of this deal come to fruition. The question is, can the UK wait that long? However, convergence still remains the achilles heel if this does get over the line. It would create a mobile champion that could increase competition in the wholesale segment of the market and become a partner of choice for MVNOs.”

Ahmed Essam, Vodafone UK Chief Executive and Robert Finnegan, CEO of Three UK delivered a video statement on the plans which you can watch on the microsite.

How will the merger play out? It is sure to be a hot topic for discussion at Connected Britain this September – get your ticket today!

Mobile network operators Vodafone and Three UK (CK Hutchison) have today confirmed that they’ve reached a formal merger agreement, which is said to be worth an estimated £15bn and will see the former party owning a 51% slice of the business (CKH will hold 49%). But they’ll still have to satisfy the regulators, and that […]