CMA set to approve Vodafone–Three merger
News Network upgrades and price protections have been proposed by the CMA to keep the market competitive The Competition and Markets Authority has given the Vodafone–Three merger the provisional green light, if both companies commit to major network upgrades and customer protections, according to a new press released published this week. Back in September, the CMA had released its provisional findings, which raised concerns that the deal could lead to higher prices and reduced service...
Connexin completes first stage of significant Project Gigabit contract
Press Release Lightning-fast broadband on schedule to hit rural Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire by 2025 5th November 2024 – UK-based smart technology and digital provider Connexin has successfully completed the first stage of its Project Gigabit contract for the provision of hyperfast broadband to over 34,000 rural homes in Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire. The £58 million contract, awarded in January 2024 by the UK government, will see Connexin roll out lightning-fast, reliable...
Connexin Begin Rollout of FTTP Broadband in Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire
Alternative UK broadband ISP Connexin has today issued a short progress update to state that they’re about to enter the build phase on their £58.6m (state aid funded) Project Gigabit contract for rural parts of Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire (Lot 10), which aims to expand their full fibre (FTTP) network to cover 34,320 hard to reach premises. The operator hasn’t said much about the contract since it was announced back in February 2024 (here), although it sometimes takes a few months for...
ISP Fibrus Top 100,000 Customers on UK FTTP Broadband Network
Infracapital-backed network provider Fibrus, which has spent several years rolling out their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across rural parts of Cumbria (England) and Northern Ireland, has announced that they’ve just connected their 100,000th customer (up from 90,000 on 31st Jul 2024). The operator, which has so far built their full fibre network to cover 400,000 UK premises (up from 375k on 26th Aug 2024) and claims to be “fully funded to complete” their...
Event highlights: Broadband Communities Summit West
Events A look back at the top stories that came out of Broadband Communities Summit West last week in San Diego, California Broadband Communities Summit West attracted community leaders, property owners, network infrastructure builders, and internet service providers to San Diego. Dozens of topics were highlighted in the summit’s agenda. Here’s a look back at some key highlights. Boldyn Networks shares secrets behind success on military bases Boldyn Networks is spearheading over 90 network...
CMA Give Provisional Green Light to Vodafone and Three UK Merger
The Competition and Markets Authority has today appeared to give a “provisional” approval to Vodafone and Three UK’s recently tabled commitments (here) under their proposed merger agreement (here), which were intended to placate concerns that the deal could result in a “Significant Lessening of Competition” (SLC) in the mobile market. But it will require changes. The merger itself, which would see Vodafone retain a 51% slice of the business and CK Hutchison (Three UK) hold 49%, has repeatedly...
Freedom Fibre and Zen Internet ink network sharing deal
News The partnership will expand connectivity options for businesses in the North-West and West Midlands Freedom Fibre has teamed up with Zen Internet to deliver full-fibre ethernet to thousands of businesses across the North-West and West Midlands. Using Freedom Fibre’s XGS-PON network, Zen will be able to provide businesses with high-speed ethernet and broadband options. The partnership supports Freedom Fibre’s recent launch of business products as it aims to expand its customer base...
New Vodafone 5G Mast Design Could Cut Number of UK Masts
Mobile operator Vodafone has recently begun to introduce a new space-saving “Quad Stack” design of 5G mast across parts of Greater London, which is not only intended to help improve mobile broadband speeds but could also contribute to actually reducing the number of masts and the number of street-level equipment cabinets in some areas. Let’s face it, mobile masts aren’t exactly the most popular items of street furniture these days, particularly when it comes to those larger towers that are...
Mobile Operator O2 UK Quietly Discontinues Pay As You Go Data SIMs
Some customers of O2 UK’s (Virgin Media) Pay As You Go Data SIMs (mobile broadband) have recently been surprised to find that they can no longer top their plans up with extra data. The reason for this appears to be because the mobile operator quietly removed them from sale during early August 2024. Just to recap. O2’s PAYG Data SIMs allowed customers to choose from a selection of plans, each with a different allowance and expiry period. For example, you could pay £3 for 1GB (GigaByte) but that...
Virgin Media O2 Says UK Gov Must Get Serious with Tackling Fraud
Broadband ISP and mobile giant Virgin Media and O2, which invests millions in counter fraud measures each year and blocked more than £250m worth of fraud in 2023, has called on the UK Government to take “urgent action” to address the “epidemic” levels of fraud. The ISP is seeking stronger police powers and the appointment of a dedicated minister. The telecoms operator highlights the example of how its own investigation team spent more than two years building a compelling case against a...