Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

SpaceX has revealed that its “greatly enhanced” second generation (GEN2) of Direct to Cell (DtC) capable Starlink broadband satellites, which are due to launch in 2027, will aim to support 5G connectivity and deliver peak data speeds of 150Mbps (Megabits per second) per user.

Starlink currently has around 9,800 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – mostly at altitudes of between c.340-525km. Residential customers in the UK usually pay from £35 a month for the ‘Residential 100Mbps’ unlimited data plan (kit price may vary due to different offers), which also promises uploads of c.15-35Mbps and low latency connectivity. Faster packages exist at greater cost, while more restrictive (data capped) options also exist for roaming users (e.g. £50 per month for 100 GigaBytes of data).

Some 650 of those satellites also support their first generation (GEN1) DtC (aka – Direct to Device) service, which delivers a basic (limited data and messaging etc.) global 4G mobile roaming service to unmodified Smartphones on the ground, typically alongside supporting mobile operators (e.g. O2 Satellite in the UK). The goal with this is to keep mobile users connected even in remote areas, where terrestrial mobile signals may struggle to reach.

However, SpaceX’s satellite policy lead Udrivolf Pica, as part of a video speech at the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Space Connect conference, yesterday revealed how their GEN2 DtC service would look to harness more radio spectrum (e.g. 2GHz MSS Band – 1980-2010MHz / 2170-2200MHz, acquired from EchoStar) and deploy 5G capable satellites that are “aiming at peak speeds of 150Mbps per user“.

On the one hand 150Mbps is slower than what a lot of modern terrestrial 5G networks can currently achieve. But when coming from satellites, all sitting hundreds of kilometres up in space, it’s much more of a technical marvel to be able to deliver that sort of performance to individual users. In fact many UK users in rural areas often struggle to get even close to such speeds, even when they have good coverage. The attraction is obvious.

You can see the full video below and the Starlink part starts at the 23:28 minute mark. In addition, AST Space Mobile, which is being adopted by Vodafone in the UK to rival Starlink, also gives a presentation at the 15:28 minute mark. But AST is currently only aiming to deliver peak speeds of 120Mbps “per coverage cell” (for context – each one of AST’s next gen BlueBird satellites will have 2000+ active cells).

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

French broadband and mobile network benchmarking firm nPerf has today announced the addition of a 2160p (4K / Ultra HD) streaming test to their existing speedtest app for Android, iOS and Desktop users (i.e. PC (Windows), MAC and Linux).

The App (software) already includes a streaming test, but this previously only tested video resolutions up to 720p (HD Ready) and 1080p (Full HD). The test itself is designed to assess the “overall quality of experience as it is truly lived by users” (i.e. perceived quality depends on smooth, stable playback that matches the requested resolution).

In addition, nPerf has also introduced a new accelerated “Fast Forward” mode for 720p and 1080p resolutions, which simply speeds up the video playback of their benchmark, while at the same time “maintaining a precise and representative level of measurement” (this feature is said to divide the “total duration of the streaming test by two“).

nPerf’s CTO, Renaud KERADEC, said:

“In the 4K era, measuring download speed alone no longer makes sense. What truly matters is the real experience lived by the user. A good speed does not guarantee smooth playback, consistent 4K quality, or the absence of buffering. With 4K streaming analysis, we are evolving network performance measurement toward indicators that are far more representative of today’s usage.”

Before publishing, we did attempt to get the streaming test to work on nPerf’s latest Windows 11 app, but at the time of writing it kept returning a “Data couldn’t be sent to nPerf server. The request is delayed” error. All other tests worked without a hitch. Otherwise, nPerf has not provided much in the way of technical details on the new test.

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News

The operator says reintegrating the tower assets will strengthen its African operations and improve financial metrics

African telco giant MTN Group is set to take full control of IHS Towers, one of Africa’s largest independent tower companies, in a deal valued at $6.2 billion.

The deal will see MTN acquire the 75% stake in IHS that it doesn’t already own for $2.2 billion in cash.

“This proposed transaction is a pivotal step in further strengthening MTN Group’s strategic and financial position for a future where digital infrastructure will become ever more essential to Africa’s growth and development. This transaction gives us a unique opportunity to buy back our towers and strengthen our ability to be partners for progress to the nation states in which we operate,” said MTN CEO Ralph Mupita.

The deal is subject to the typical regulatory approvals, with watchdogs likely to look closely at the impact on competition, given IHS also rents their infrastructure to MTN’s rivals across Africa.

For MTN, the move represents something of a strategic U-turn. The operator group has pursued an asset-light approach for the past decade, selling many of its towers – largely to IHS – in multiple markets.

In recent years, however, MTN’s relationship with the tower company has grown more complicated. The operator has repeatedly complained about IHS’s corporate governance, particularly that IHS had capped its voting rights at 20%, despite MTN owning a stake of around 26% in the business.

At the same time, IHS saw major losses from the devaluation of the Nigerian naira in 2023, leading MTN to attempt to seek adjusted lease terms to reduce foreign‑currency exposure.

Given this increasingly difficult operating relationship, MTN’s stake acquisition represents an opportunity to simplify and de-risk the company’s balance sheet by removing long‑term lease liabilities.

Market watchers will be watching whether MTN’s reintegration of roughly 29,000 African sites delivers the financial and strategic gains management forecasts, and whether rivals respond with selective buybacks, new sharing deals, or continued reliance on independent towercos.

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Press Release

Improved mobile connectivity could unlock 49,000 new businesses and add £6.6bn annually to the UK economy – New VodafoneThree research finds

• New research from VodafoneThree has found that improved mobile connectivity could deliver a £6.6 billion annual boost to the UK economy after 10 years by enabling the creation of tens of thousands of new businesses.
• Nearly two-thirds (62%) of would-be founders say unreliable connectivity has prevented them from starting a business in their local area. A third (33%) believe better signal would make their area a more attractive place to launch, while 26% say it would directly increase their likelihood of setting up a company in their local area.
• The findings come as VodafoneThree announces the removal of 16,500 km² of not spots – areas where either the Vodafone or Three network previously had little or no mobile coverage. This was achieved by deploying ‘Multi Operator Core Network’ (MOCN) technology on more than 8,000 sites nationwide, enabling Vodafone and Three customers to connect to the best available coverage, at no extra cost.
• This represents a significant milestone in VodafoneThree’s £11 billion investment programme to build the UK’s best network, reaching 99% 5G Standalone (5G SA) population coverage by 2030, and 99.96% by 2034.

Improved mobile connectivity could deliver a £6.6 billion annual boost to the UK economy after 10 years by enabling the creation of tens of thousands of new businesses, according to new research by consultancy firm WPI Strategy for VodafoneThree.

The latest modelling for VodafoneThree suggests the boost could be achieved through the creation of 49,000 new businesses by 2036.

The findings come as VodafoneThree announces the removal of 16,500 km² of network not spots – areas that previously had little or no mobile coverage – by deploying ‘Multi Operator Core Network (MOCN) technology on more than 8,000 sites nationwide. The technology means Vodafone and Three customers can connect to the best available coverage, at no extra cost.

This milestone forms part of VodafoneThree’s £11 billion investment programme to build the UK’s best network, reaching 99% 5G Standalone population coverage by 2030, and 99.96% by 2034.

The independent survey of 2,000 individuals including existing and aspiring business owners, found that poor mobile signal is a major obstacle to entrepreneurship throughout the UK. Almost two-thirds (62%) of potential founders reported that unreliable connectivity has stopped them from launching a business locally. Furthermore, a third (33%) believe improved signal would make their area more appealing for starting a business, and 26% say it would directly increase their willingness to establish a company in their local area.

Vodafone Business, VodafoneThree’s dedicated B2B division has consistently demonstrated its commitment to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), notably through its business.connected programme. Launched in 2021, the initiative focuses on identifying the unique challenges faced by small businesses and delivering hands-on, practical solutions to address them. Users also have free access to a range of online courses, bootcamps and workshops.

A recent study by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) also found that dependable mobile connectivity in rural regions boosts entrepreneurship and enhances business performance.

“When connectivity improves, entrepreneurship follows” said Nick Gliddon, Business Director, VodafoneThree. “Founders move fast, and the infrastructure around them needs to keep up. Strong and reliable connectivity helps start-ups win customers, build reputation and grow steadily. We’re focused on building the network that UK enterprise can count on.”

“As improved mobile connectivity continues to reshape the business environment, we remain committed to supporting SMEs by investing in digital skills and literacy. To date, initiatives and similar ones such as the V-Hub service has enabled more than 2.8 million SMEs to enhance their digital skills, equipping them with the tools necessary to thrive in an increasingly connected world.”

Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd said: “Access to high quality, reliable mobile connectivity is essential for businesses and driving growth. The investment VodafoneThree has committed as a result of their merger, along with their efforts to remove not spots, will help boost coverage across the UK and support our ambition for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030.

“We continue to work closely with all mobile network operators to ensure businesses have the connectivity they need to start, scale and succeed, supporting the ambitions set out in the government’s Entrepreneurship Prospectus which outlines measures to boost enterprise by improving access to finance, cutting red tape and helping firms grow.”

Transformative Regional Potential: Unleashing Economic Growth Through Enhanced Connectivity

As VodafoneThree enhances connectivity throughout the regions, the North-West of England stands out as one of the biggest winners – with improved coverage expected to support the establishment of approximately 5,974 new businesses, contributing an estimated £807 million to the annual economy in 10 years’ time. Similarly, the South-East could see the emergence of around 5,808 new businesses, resulting in an economic uplift of £784 million.

Places such as Newcastle-under-Lyme, situated in Staffordshire within the West Midlands, stand to gain significantly with the research suggesting that enhanced connectivity could result in a £9 million boost to the local economy.

Speaking about the impact that enhanced connectivity could have, Osman Maqbool, Partner at Maq Tech Limited, an analytics company that helps business growth, said: “Improved connectivity in our area would make a real difference to how I run my business, particularly when I’m on the go and reliant upon internet access. Dependable connectivity would mean fewer interruptions, smoother collaboration with clients, and more time focused on building great products.”

The research also shows that connectivity challenges can be found in bigger cities. Even in London, would-be entrepreneurs strongly believe poor mobile signal is holding them back. Improved connectivity in the capital could enable the creation of 14,431 new businesses, contributing £1.9bn to the economy, with 22% of prospective founders saying they would start a business if mobile signal was better.

London’s political heartland, Westminster represents the single biggest opportunity, with other boroughs also set to see significant gains, including Camden (£136m), Hackney (£93m), Barnet (£92m), the City of London (£87m) and Islington (£84m).

Elsewhere, improved connectivity could unlock 1,008 new firms in Wales, worth £136m to the annual national economy in 10 years, while Scotland could see 2,152 new businesses launched, contributing £291million over the same period.

Transforming the Business Landscape: Powering Entrepreneurship Through Enhanced Connectivity

The research also highlights the impact of poor connectivity on existing businesses. Two in five founders say they had to relocate in order to set up their company, citing a lack of customer base, poor connectivity and access to talent as the main reasons.

Reliable mobile connectivity is now critical to day-to-day business operations with six in ten entrepreneurs saying they rely on connectivity to run their business*. Almost nine in ten founders have been affected by connectivity problems at some point, and many experiencing outages that disrupt trading.

For businesses that remain, dependable mobile connectivity has become fundamental to everyday operations. From taking payments on the go and communicating with customers, to managing online marketing, social media and e-commerce, mobile networks underpin how modern businesses function. Entrepreneurs consistently highlight that when connectivity falters, work slows, customers are impacted and revenue is put at risk.

Tina McKenzie, Policy Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Mobile connectivity is essential for helping businesses to work efficiently and stay competitive, be it contacting customers, organising stock, or speaking to staff, clients and stakeholders.

“If we want more people to take the leap into starting their own business, they need reliable connectivity to make it possible. Currently, the 5G rollout has been uneven, particularly in rural areas and connectivity no-zones, including city centres. This limits business efficiency and stunts growth opportunities.

”We need the Government to work with mobile operators to expand network coverage, making sure 5G is available to businesses across the UK.”

To check whether recent enhancements to the Vodafone and Three networks have improved coverage and performance in your area, search here

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Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

BubbleRAN and Telenor have successfully launched an NVIDIA AI-powered solution for the autonomous network operations and optimization on one of Color Line’s vessels, a passenger and cargo ship operating between Norway and international destinations. The outcome has been remarkable, delivering significant gains in performance and reliability, greater operational agility, and overall a better onboard connectivity experience for customers and crew.

Operating a mobile network on a vessel at sea presents a number of distinct challenges. The ship’s metallic structure, interference from other networks, and constantly shifting weather conditions are affecting the access and backhaul radio links making the traditional network management and optimization highly complex and challenging. This solution overcomes these challenges by creating a symbiosis between AI agents and algorithms. This system dynamically controls a suite of access and backhaul radio parameters in real-time, autonomously optimizing both uplink and downlink performance to adapt to the variable conditions at sea, ensuring stable service and strong user experience throughout the voyage.

Today, this solution ensures robust daily operations and an exceptional connectivity experience for both passengers and crew. Looking ahead, it paves the way for even greater efficiency through coordinated optimization with neighboring public and private networks, promising continuous improvement in both network and user performance.

Launch of Innovative Optimization System

The solution, Opti-Sphere, is a first-of-its-kind agentic network optimization system that helps public and private 5G operators to transit from isolated and manual tuning to coordinated and automated decision-making. It turns live network data into actionable insights, and when approved, can apply safe configuration changes, pre-validated through a real-time digital twin.

The system addresses a major operational challenge for maritime networks: sustaining stable performance and user experience in harsh radio environments. Opti-Sphere meets this challenge by continuously optimizing user equipment uplink power while adhering to operator-defined constraints and safety policies.

At MWC Barcelona, Opti-Sphere is demonstrated live at sea, optimizing Telenor Maritime Networks on top of an Ericsson private 5G deployment. Trained and validated on data from 33 ships worldwide, the system is currently applying adaptive power control across two shipboard cells, improving uplink performance by learning from historical data and safely evaluating a small set of candidate configurations through real-time digital-twin validation. The demo also features a small-scale replica of a private maritime 5G network, showcasing the same closed-loop optimization approach and pointing to autonomous private 5G networks of the future. Together, the demonstrations highlight how Opti-Sphere delivers operational and business value beyond
dashboards, accelerating troubleshooting and reducing maintenance through continuous observability and automated parameter tuning backed by measurable KPI improvements.

A Model of Ecosystem Co-Creation

Opti-Sphere represents a true model of ecosystem co-creation, designed from the ground up as a multi-partner and multi-vendor solution. It integrates leading components from across the telecommunications landscape: BubbleRAN provides the foundational automation and orchestration layer with its SMO-Sphere platform and Agentic Toolkit (BAT); Telenor’s Research & Innovation and Maritime units serve as co-developers and validation partners; NVIDIA platform with NVIDIA NeMo Agent Toolkit powers the AI frameworks and agentic workflows along with NVIDIA/BubbleRAN telco config blueprint built on MX-AI; while LITEON 5G small cells and Amarisoft supplies software-based 5G network and terminals comprising the critical infrastructure and real-time digital twin environment for testing and validation.

“Opti-Sphere shows what happens when AI becomes truly operational: it doesn’t just observe the network, it reasons, validates, and improves it. Successfully deploying this in the harsh maritime environment stands as a powerful proof point for ecosystem co-creation in mission-critical private 5G.” says Navid Nikaein, CEO, BubbleRAN.

“This shows what’s possible when innovators come together with a shared ambition. By combining BubbleRAN’s agility, NVIDIA’s accelerated computing, Telenor Maritime’s operational expertise, and Telenor R&I’s research capabilities, we’ve achieved results none of us could have achieved alone. These kinds of collaborations, built on trust, openness and a willingness to challenge each other, can contribute to innovations that move the industry forward”, highlights Dagfinn Myhre, SVP Research & Innovation at Telenor ASA.

“This collaboration demonstrates how agentic AI moves beyond generic tooling and becomes operational in real-world telco environments – bringing reasoning to resolve complex conflicts, accelerating decisions, and translating AI innovation into measurable operational outcomes.” says Chris Penrose, Global VP of business development for telco at NVIDIA.

“With integrated digital-twin capabilities, this solution changes how networks are optimized and evolved. Digital twins enable prediction and faster iteration while reducing operational risk and cost.” points out Emmanuel Puig, Senior VP of Engineering at Amarisoft.

“By showcasing a compact private 5G deployment at MWC, we’re demonstrating how intelligent closed-loop optimization can be brought to many industries beyond maritime.” says Richard Chiang, SLA SBU General Manager from LITEON.

Live demonstrations at MWC Barcelona The full demonstration will be live at MWC Barcelona March 2–5, 2026 at Telenor stand 2J20 and BubbleRAN stand 5D97.

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Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network testing firm Ookla, which collects data from consumers via their popular broadband Speedtest.net website and App, has teamed-up with communications technology developer Ericsson to demonstrate an “innovative solution allowing users to measure and validate 5G network slicing performance” via the same app.

Network slicing is a feature of the latest end-to-end 5G Standalone (aka – 5G+ / 5G Advanced) based mobile broadband networks. The feature essentially allows for multiple virtual network slices across the same physical network. Each slice is isolated from other network traffic to give dedicated performance, with the features of the slice typically being tailored to specific use case requirements (online gaming, enhanced mobile broadband, payment processing at big events etc.).

However, until now there hasn’t really been much in the way of independent solutions for validating the Quality of Experience (QoE) that users (consumers and service providers) see when harnessing Network Slicing, which is necessary given how Service Level Agreements (SLA) may apply to such services. Ookla and Ericsson have thus developed a methodology that enables their Speedtest app to identify and test specific network slices in real-time.

Tibor Rathonyi, Senior Advisor at Ookla, said:

“Network slicing is no longer a future concept; it is a commercial reality. However, you cannot manage what you cannot measure. Our work with Ericsson is a pivotal first step in providing the transparency needed to prove the value of these premium 5G services to both consumers and enterprises.”

The results of this collaboration will debut during Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026. Attendees will be able to visit the Ericsson pavilion, in Hall 2, to experience a live demonstration of a specialized test version of the Speedtest® app, featuring:

➤ Side-by-Side Comparison: Visualizing the performance gap between a standard 5G connection and a service-specific slice within Ericsson’s live 5G network at the venue.

➤ SLA Verification: Real-time reporting on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) within a dedicated slice to prove guaranteed quality of service.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo), which is the industry-led company responsible for helping to deliver Ofcom’s solution for easier and quicker UK switching between fixed broadband and phone providers on different networks (One Touch Switching), has provided an update on their plans for 2026 (i.e. cheaper business switching and more performance data).

The OTS system, which went live on 12th September 2024, remains a Gaining Provider Led (GPL) process, where the customer contacts their new (“gaining“) ISP to start and manage the process on their behalf. But despite a bit of a bumpy start and some ongoing issues, which we won’t recap today, the new system is already helping around 1.8 million customers to switch provider every 12-months (here).

The latest update reveals that TOTSCo are now almost ready to extend beyond Consumer Switching and support Business Switching between ISPs too, which was previously said to be due for launch during “early 2026” (here). As part of that work they’ve now “revised” their price-list, “making it more affordable for smaller providers whether accessing the hub directly or through a Managed Access Provider (MAP) and passing on the benefits of cost reduction initiatives“.

The company said they would also “shortly formalise the Business Switching API” from its current beta version to version 2, which introduces no functional changes but is said to provide a “clearer, consolidated baseline as we continue to develop the service“.

Finally, TOTSCo has promised to deliver “clearer insight, stronger monitoring and practical improvements” to their central messaging Hub, which includes a plan to “expand the performance data we share, provide greater visibility of trends and variations, and develop more tailored reporting to support all providers“. But it’s unclear whether consumers will also be given access to the extra data via the public OTS stats page.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Alternative broadband provider Wildanet, which has built a new full fibre (FTTP) network across rural parts of South West England, have today issued a full statement to better explain their reasoning for recently withdrawing from two of the Government’s publicly funded Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contracts in Cornwall.

Just to recap. On 12th February 2026 the government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency confirmed (here) that Wildanet wished to “withdraw” from fully completing the build on two contracts for Cornwall Central (Lot 32.03) and South West Cornwall (Lot 32.02) – both originally awarded back in January 2023 (here).

The provider had already covered c.13,200 premises under these contracts, but the announcement meant they would no longer deliver to the remaining 7,700 contracted premises. But we should point out that Wildanet are continuing, at least for now, to deliver on the core Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (Lot 32) contract – awarded in April 2024 (here), which was originally valued at £41m to connect 16,800 premises in hard-to-reach rural areas.

In the meantime, BDUK said they would now be “moving swiftly to put in place alternative plans with other suppliers to connect premises that were due to be covered by these contracts.” This could involve either running a new procurement for the remaining premises or, more likely, trying to find a way of rolling those premises into one of Openreach’s wider Type C (Cross-Regional) deployment contracts (here and here).

The main development today is that Wildanet has finally issued a full statement to better explain why they took the decision, which as expected reflects issues with the rising cost of building in such remote areas (a well known problem).

Wildanet Statement on Project Gigabit Contracts

It was announced on February 12th 2026 that Wildanet had informed Building Digital UK that it wished to withdraw from fully completing the build on two Project Gigabit contracts covering south west and central Cornwall.

Following a review of our Project Gigabit contracts to roll out gigabit-capable broadband to “hard-to-reach” premises in south west and central Cornwall, Wildanet has taken the difficult decision to scale back the build on these. Despite extensive efforts to deliver the programme in full, the cost of delivery in these areas has increased significantly beyond anticipated and it is unfortunately no longer commercially viable for Wildanet to complete these works.

Wildanet has successfully connected around 13,200 premises to date under these contracts, from an original target list of about 19,250, but will no longer deliver to the remaining premises.

Wildanet is only paid for completed and verified connections and will not receive any funding allocated for the build to premises that have not been completed.

Across Cornwall, Wildanet has delivered more than 50,000 new connections through a combination of private investment and publicly funded contracts and we remain a locally based company committed to delivering reliable and sustainable gigabit-capable broadband connectivity across the South West.

Build on Wildanet’s regional (type B) contract for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly continues. BDUK and Wildanet are in discussions to determine if any changes are needed.

The final sentence appears to hint that there may be some changes coming to their core LOT 32 contract too, which could potentially be scaled-back as it’s unlikely to be immune to the same problem of rising build costs. But we’ll have to wait and see.

A number of other alternative networks (e.g. Voneus, FullFibre Ltd. and Freedom Fibre) have also recently withdrawn or scaled-back their Project Gigabit contracts due to similar issues. But other altnets, such as GoFibre and Wessex Internet, have been more successful and recently completed some of their earlier contracts under the same scheme (albeit for different parts of the UK).

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Mobile operator Three UK (VodafoneThree) recently began notifying some of their existing customers that, from 1st April 2026, they will be updating their annual price increase terms to a “more transparent approach“, which moves away from % based price rises and uses amounts shown in pounds and pence. But it won’t impact everybody, yet.

The change, which is in line with Ofcom’s new policy (here), was first technically introduced by Three UK (and Vodafone) back in early November 2025 (here). But at the time that only applied to new customers, while the latest change extends the policy to some existing customer. The exact increase customers see will be dependent on when your current contract started (this may be when you joined Three or last upgraded your account) – details.

However, customers who joined or upgraded their phone, SIM Only, Mobile Broadband or Home Broadband plan between 1st November 2022 and 7th September 2024, and are still within the minimum term of your contract on 31^st March 2026, will still be subject to an increase each April by the preceding December CPI rate of 3.4% + 3.9% (total increase of 7.3%). Otherwise, it’ll be the pounds and pence method.

Three UK Statement

“From 1st April 2026, we’re updating your annual price increase terms to a more transparent approach, which moves away from % based price rises and uses amounts shown in pounds and pence, so that you can see more clearly what the change to your monthly charge will be from April each year.

…

Similar to many other mobile providers, our Pay Monthly plans are subject to an annual price change. The increases reflect inflationary pressures we are facing as a business including energy prices, supplier increases, and increased staffing costs. Despite this change, our prices remain some of the most competitive in the market and we have a range of support, including a social tariff via SMARTY, available for customers struggling with their finances.”

Three UK’s new mid-contract price rises (extra monthly charge):

Low (4GB and below): £1.80
Mid (5GB and above, below 100GB): £1.90
High (100GB+): £2.30
Home Broadband: £3.50
Smartwatch Pairing Plans: £1.80

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

ISPreview have spotted that mobile operator and broadband ISP EE (BT) has started sending out invites to those on their trials scheme who wish to help test Openreach’s new XGS-PON powered Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines, which for consumer services are capable of offering download speeds up to 8.5Gbps (850Mbps upload).

The news that EE plans to test the new network won’t come as much of a surprise because they confirmed as much back in December 2025 (here). Openreach has also previously informed ISPreview that their pilot would initially begin across an area of 40,000 premises in Guildford, although this seems likely to be expanded, and we’ve noted that the pilot may also catch some premises in neighbouring Woking.

Openreach currently plans to kick off the new XGS-PON broadband pilot from 23rd March 2026 (details). Anybody taking part will require another engineer visit to install one of the operator’s latest 10Gbps capable Optical Network Terminals (ONT) inside your home.

According to EE’s new trial invite, customers who agree to take part will “receive a free broadband trial line for 3 months, plus an Amazon.co.uk voucher when you complete the trial” (EE says they’ll either install this as an upgrade to your existing line or as a temporary new line). Existing BT or EE broadband customers will also receive a credit towards their existing account for the duration of the trial.

At this stage, it’s unclear whether everybody who takes part will receive the top 8.5Gbps tier or one of their slower tiers, although EE did previously mention the 8.5Gbps top speed when first announcing their plans. EE is currently still the only ISP to confirm their participation, and it may take time for others to fully adapt to the new capacity requirements of such a service.