ISP Equity Networks Add Paid Security Feature to UK Users Without Consent
Business broadband ISP and managed service provider Equity Networks has recently become the latest company in a growing list to irritate some of their UK customers, which it did by automatically adding a paid (£12.99 a month) internet security feature – ‘SafeWeb’ – to their accounts, without first getting explicit consent. Over the past few weeks’ we’ve reported on how both Onetsream (here) and Daisy Communications (here) have managed to attract the ire of their customers by adding an extra...
Virgin Media UK Adds Support for Rakuten TV Streaming App
Customers of UK broadband ISP Virgin Media (O2), specifically those who take their pay TV service via one of the operator’s TV 360 or Stream platforms, may like to know that the Rakuten TV App is now available on their service at no extra cost – offering an array of content (8,000+ titles on demand, including new releases to rent and buy, 150+ FAST channels and more). Access to the Rakuten TV app is said to be direct, with no subscription necessary. Virgin TV customers simply need to head to...
Ofcom Sets Guidance to Improve Resilience of UK Broadband and Mobile Networks
The UK telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today set out how they intend to update their guidance on network resilience in order to give broadband ISPs, mobile operators and other digital network providers greater clarity on how they can “reduce the risk of network outages“. But proposals to improve battery backup on mobile networks will come later. Communications providers in the UK currently have a legal obligation to identify, prepare for and reduce the risk of anything that...
Ofcom Study Benchmarks Speeds of UK 4G and 5G Mobile Networks
The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today published their 2024 Mobile Matters report, which uses Opensignal’s crowdsourced data (collected between October 2023 and March 2024) to benchmark the performance of UK mobile broadband networks by both technology (2G to 5G), nation and operator choice – including Three UK, O2, Vodafone and EE. The results hold few surprises, but they do still reveal some interesting details. For example, 78% of cellular network connections were to 4G networks over...
Openreach Calls on Virgin Media to Open UK Cable Ducts to Rivals UPDATE
The CEO of Openreach (BT), Clive Selley, has today set out their position with respect to Ofcom’s forthcoming Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR), which amongst other things sees the UK operator call for the regulator and Government to push Virgin Media (O2) and others into opening up access to their cable ducts to help reduce the number of broadband poles being built. The regulator’s Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR) is a wide-ranging market study, which is typically only conducted every...
Fibre Broadband Builder Glenevin Collapses into Administration
Civil engineering firm Glenevin, which in recent years has helped to construct full fibre broadband networks for a number of operators across the United Kingdom (e.g. CityFibre, Voneus, Openreach etc.), has sadly just become one of the latest digital infrastructure builders to fall into administration. Established in 2013, the Livingston-based business was a well-known multi-utility infrastructure development and maintenance business operating nationally, but predominately in Scotland. It...
Altnet ISP Grain to Expand FTTP Broadband Network in Hull UK
Alternative network operator Grain (Grain Connect), which has already grown their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to cover 220k UK premises RFS (21st May 2024) and 30k customers, has announced that they’re going to expand their existing deployment in the East Yorkshire city of Hull. The operators full fibre network can currently be found in parts of 59 UK locations (plus over 150 new build housing developments), which includes a lot of small-to-modest sized...
EE Rolls Out 5G SA in 15 UK cities
News EE are only the third carrier in the UK to rollout 5GSA, behind Vodafone and VMO2 EE has launched its new 5G standalone (5GSA) mobile network in 15 major UK cities, alongside a new Wi-Fi 7 Smart Hub Pro for home broadband users. The 5GSA network is designed to enhance mobile coverage and performance, while the Wi-Fi 7 hub provides faster, more reliable connectivity indoors. The new 5GSA network, is now live in Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow,...
UK signs world’s first AI treaty
News It is the world’s first legally binding AI treaty, and other countries, including the US and Australia, are invited to join This week, the Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood will sign a new international agreement to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law from potential risks posed by AI. The treaty, agreed by the Council of Europe, commits countries to work together to regulate AI and prevent its potential misuse. While AI offers benefits like improved productivity and...
Unlocking the Future of Fiber Deployments with Digital Transformation
Viewpoint Reilly McClure, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Digital Infrastructure @ Sitetracker In the fast-paced world of telecommunications, the deployment of fiber networks is accelerating at an unprecedented rate with growing demand for high-speed internet and substantial funding for infrastructure projects. Network operators and contractors face immense pressure to deploy quickly and efficiently. Sitetracker’s latest eBook, “Navigating Fiber Deployments: A Digital Roadmap for Success“...