Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The recent nationwide mobile test of the UK’s new Emergency Alerts service has, perhaps inevitably, been followed by a new wave of email phishing scams and spams over the past week. This attempts to impersonate the government by claiming to seek feedback from recipients on whether or not they received the alert.

As usual with such things, the messages are structured in a way to look authentic, but neither the sending email addresses nor the main source links contained within the body of the message are from official government sites and servers (these would usually redirect to gov.uk addresses, rather than some random AWS servers or unfamiliar websites).

Some feedback online suggests that a few people didn’t think these messages were scams because they referenced a system test that did take place. But this only serves to highlight just how effective good timing and the appearance of authenticity can be for scammers. Unfortunately, these emails are very much the product of fraudsters.

The goal of such phishing messages is usually to harvest personal, security and financial data or to try and infect your device/computer with some sort of malware (virus, trojan etc.). Suffice to say, you should never click on links in unsolicited emails. A quick check of the “From:” address (sending field) in the message source, or hovering your mouse over (not clicking) the main email links, often helps verify whether a message is legitimate or not.

In the case of this specific example, the aim of the fraudsters seems to be to get end-users who fall for their trap to execute a series of commands and thus run malicious Powershell code on Windows PCs, resulting in a malware infection. The messages and its follow-on process will not fool seasoned internet users, but of course the scammers are only interested in the sub-0.1% of people who might be tricked by it.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A new study from SignalTracker, which runs a popular Android mobile app (not iOS) for monitoring and examining mobile network performance, has revealed the results of a study into the speed differences between the UK’s primary mobile operators (MNO) and their virtual operator (MVNO) siblings. Unsurprisingly, EE, Vodafone, Three UK and O2 outperformed mvnos.

Many people tend to make the mistake of assuming that a virtual mobile operator will typically performance about the same as their parent network (mobile broadband speeds etc.), which is a logical assumption given how they harness the same underlying network(s). But the reality is often more complex.

For example, virtual operators don’t always gain immediate access to the latest features from their parents (5G Standalone, Wi-Fi Calling etc.), which will vary and depends on the agreements they’ve signed. In addition, there can also be other differences in terms of how network traffic is managed, capped or setup (either imposed by the MNO or directly by the MVNO); such details tend to be very opaque for consumers and are thus hard to assess.

Lest we forget that mobile performance, in general, remains a stubbornly difficult thing to study because end-users are always moving through different areas (indoor, outdoor and underground), using different devices with different capabilities and the surrounding environment is ever changeable (weather, trees, buildings etc.). And that’s before we consider any differences in network (backhaul) capacity or spectrum use between locations.

What did SignalTracker find?

The figures quoted below come from more than 40,000 speed tests carried using the SignalTracker app between March 2025 to August 2025. Each network was tested across three different environments: rural, suburban and urban. Some of the tests were carried out while the phone was stationary, but most were collected in motion while either walking, cycling or in a car.

Leaving aside the fact that all of the aforementioned points tend to complicate any attempt at making performance comparisons between MVNOs and MNOs. The new study did broadly reach the same conclusion as one that Opensignal conducted a few months earlier (here) – parent networks (MNOs) generally perform better than their partner MVNOs.

However, the differences were said to be “relatively small” and, in some comparisons, Lebara and Vodafone namely, MVNOs actually still score better than their parent network. On the flip side, Three UK and O2 were found to be “considerably faster” than their partner MVNOs.

In terms of reliability, the study found that MVNOs were more likely to suffer failed tests than MNOs. When the latter metric is taken into account, MNOs offer a better service even though their download speeds are very similar.

In the case of Vodafone, the study experienced test failure in 1% of cases across their urban and rural test areas. On its MVNO Lebara, this rose to 24% and 19%. More noticeable was the difference between O2 and giffgaff, with only a 4% average test failure across all O2 tests versus 43% average test failure on giffgaff – close to half.

Key Findings

1. Parent networks (MNOs) generally perform better than their partner MVNOs – When the download speeds achieved are balanced against the number of failed tests. However, the differences are relatively small and, in some comparisons, Lebara and Vodafone namely, MVNOs score better than their parent network.

2. Performance differences between MVNOs and MNO may not be noticeable to users – Most download speed are >20 Mbps: speeds above this are hard to distinguish in everyday usage. However, in some circumstances failure rates will be more noticeable.

3. The performance gap between MNOs and MVNOs varies – Some MVNOs like Lycamobile have similar performance to their parent, but for others like iD the performance is much worse than Three.

4. Performance across area types can be inconsistent – e.g. In the South London suburbs, the performance of O2 and Giffgaff is closely matched but in the Birmingham suburbs O2 is far superior

5. Band usage explains some MNO/MVNO speed differences – iD has slower speeds than its network host, Three, because it lacks the same access to the best performing bands. But for the other pairings band usage profiles do not significantly influence performance.

6. MVNOs are usually better value – Although MVNO’s performance is not quite as good overall, customers are unlikely to notice the difference in service.

7. 5G Standalone makes a big difference – No UK MVNO currently has access to 5G Standalone, the fastest version of the 5G network. This access to the fastest speeds is one of the key selling points of MNOs and for the customer willing to spend, it could be what seals the deal.

The full report includes a fair bit more detail, although it didn’t test things like upload speeds or network latency times, and we would have liked to see the study being expanded to include some additional MVNOs.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Mobile operator O2 (Virgin Media) has announced that they now have the “country’s largest 5G Standalone deployment” after extending the coverage of their new ultrafast mobile broadband network to parts of 500 towns and cities, reaching more than 70% of the UK’s population (c.49 million people). Crucially this is provided to consumers “at no extra cost“.

Just to recap. 5GSA networks are pure end-to-end 5G that can deliver ultra-low latency times, greater energy efficiency, better speeds (particularly uploads), network slicing, improved support for IoT devices, support for Voice over New Radio (VoNR or Vo5G), increased reliability and security etc. Most existing 5G networks use a Non-Standalone (NSA) approach, which is hobbled by being partly reliant upon older and slower 4G infrastructure.

The operator’s 5GSA rollout, which forms part of their wider £700m Mobile Transformation Plan, has been busy continuing at pace since it first began in February 2024 (here). In all 500 locations, O2’s 5GSA network also claims to provide “at least 90% outdoor coverage” (only slightly below EE’s 95% target), ensuring that customers looking to benefit from the technology should receive a more reliable and consistent experience.

The historic town of Bakewell in Derbyshire recently became the 500th location to benefit from O2’s new 5GSA network, where the milestone has been celebrated with the creation of a record-breaking giant Bakewell Tart.

Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at VMO2, said:

“We are investing £2m every single day to improve our mobile network and provide a more reliable experience for our customers. By expanding our 5G Standalone network to 500 towns and cities and 70% of the population, we are continuing to deliver on that and are excited about the opportunities the new network will bring. This customer-centric rollout is about future proofing our network and will pave the way for exciting customer led innovations that lie ahead.”

Device compatibility is naturally still an issue for 5GSA adoption, although such things usually resolve themselves with time as consumers gradually upgrade – many modern Smartphones do now support it on EE’s network. In fact, VMO2 says there has been a “significant increase” in the number of customers using 5GSA capable devices since they launched the service (no figures were provided), with the majority of flagship handsets now boasting access to the network.

However, it would be handy if O2 and other operators could provide coverage maps to show where their 5GSA coverage actually exists, much like they already do for 4G and 5G in general etc. This would make it much easier for consumers to judge some of their claims and test the networks properly.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

A British cybersecurity startup has unveiled Firevault, a unique, secure offline storage solution created to segregate data and secure assets. Based on the belief that offline security surpasses online methods, Firevault ensures protection by completely isolating sensitive files from the internet. Keeping data disconnected effectively prevents scanning, theft, or ransom attempts.

Co-Founder Mark Fermor stated, “Systems that are always connected pose risks. Firevault changes this approach. We prioritise taking critical data offline, following a Disconnect to Protect strategy.”

Co-Founder David Bailey added, “Stakeholders such as boards, regulators, and insurers seek assurance. Firevault provides evidence, not just promises. When data is offline, it becomes inaccessible to attackers.”

Live demonstrations are available upon request. Both founders are scheduled to attend Connected Britain 2025 and the International Cyber Expo 2025 in London this September.

Global and Local Impact

Global Significance: It is predicted that cybercrime will cost $11 trillion worldwide in 2025 (IBM). Every second, around 11,000 files are stolen. Incidents like ransomware attacks and supply-chain breaches are causing disruptions in various sectors such as healthcare, aviation, finance, energy, and logistics.

Focus on the UK and Europe: The average cost of a data breach in the UK is £3.2 million. Under ICO regulations, directors could face personal fines of up to £500,000. Recent high-profile breaches highlight how quickly reputable brands can suffer reputational and financial damage.

Data Vulnerability: More than half (54%) of all online stored data is considered sensitive (Thales, 2025), amplifying the consequences of breaches.

Product Overview

Vault: A secure offline digital storage resembling a modern safe deposit box for executives, shareholders, and high-net-worth individuals. Access is limited to a single verified owner. Available in 2 / 4 / 8 TB configurations starting at £360 per month (36-month commitment). Includes Backup Vault and Vault Buddy for business continuity and resilience. Data is physically segregated to safeguard assets.

Storage: This is high-grade offline resilience for protecting intellectual property, customer data, and operational systems. It forms the “0” component in the 3-2-1-0 model, representing the offline and physically isolated layer absent in many storage strategies. Early adopters are already reducing risks and costs, achieving favourable OPEX savings compared to connected models.

Platform (FV-PaaS): An offline-first structure tailored for governmental bodies and critical infrastructure. Facilitates secure, multi-location, national-grade deployments. Built on the principle of isolating data to protect national and organisational assets.

Integration & Adoption

Firevault aligns with prominent frameworks and guidelines, including NIST CSF, MITRE ATT&CK, Zero Trust, ISO/IEC 27001, CIA Triad, and NIS2.

Firevault significantly reduces your risk of data breaches and theft when in use.

Relevance to the Global Security Sector

Firevault introduces a new protective category for the global security community:

Inter-sector Resilience: This ensures that critical data in industries such as healthcare, aviation, defence, logistics, and finance remains protected from attackers.

Compliance Alignment helps in adhering to global standards (NIST, ISO/IEC 27001) and regional regulations (NIS2, GDPR).

Board-level Assurance: Reduces directorial liabilities and strengthens governance.

Global Adaptability: Accessible worldwide, Firevault offers multinational organisations security at a national-grade level across jurisdictions.

Availability and Demonstrations

Firevault is currently available globally and offers customised onboarding for individuals, enterprises, and governments. The company is establishing a network of partners, including resellers, integrators, and managed service providers across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific.

Live demonstrations can be arranged upon request. Both founders will appear at Connected Britain 2025 and the International Cyber Expo 2025 in London this September.

About Firevault

Firevault is a British cybersecurity company that created the Secured Offline Digital Vault. Its framework is based on three principles: Controlled Connectivity, Secured Data Access, and Secured Offline Data.

It is not cloud-based, not HSM, not Software as a Service. Firevault is physically disconnected and offline, offering Vault, Storage, and Platform (FV-PaaS) solutions to protect data and assets.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

BROOMFIELD, Colo. & FOSTER CITY, Calif. September 15, 2025 — Exabeam, a global leader in intelligence and automation that powers security operations, and Cribl, the Data Engine for IT and Security, today announced an evolution of their strategic partnership designed to break the trade-off between cost and visibility. Building on their 2023 collaboration, this integration brings together the Exabeam New-Scale Security Operations Platform with Cribl Stream to help organizations ingest and prioritize the right data, optimize long-term storage costs, and retain the ability to search historical data on demand.

At the center of the partnership enhancements are Exabeam Outcomes Navigator and the Exabeam Nova Advisor Agent, which help customers identify the data sources that drive the most impactful security outcomes. Cribl then routes this high-fidelity data into the Exabeam New-Scale Platform where it is transformed into AI-driven detections and threat timelines to power investigations. This partnership ensures that every log ingested supports business critical use-cases and MITRE ATT&CK® coverage, eliminating painful trade-offs. At the same time, low-value data can be offloaded to more cost-efficient storage while remaining searchable so organizations can control storage costs and retain the ability to replay logs for historical investigations.

Unlike other SIEMs, Exabeam provides the behavioral context needed to detect the threats other tools overlook, such as insider threats. By integrating the advanced threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR) capabilities of Exabeam with Cribl’s flexible data pipeline management, security teams gain new efficiency and drive strategic outcomes.

“One of the differentiated strengths of the New-Scale Platform is the AI we provide powered through the data we ingest,” said Steve Wilson, Chief AI and Product Officer at Exabeam. “Working with Exabeam, Cribl helps our customers achieve two important goals, delivering the data to support strategic security outcomes, and controlling cost. This partnership gives security teams the clarity, control, and confidence to detect real threats faster and outpace adversaries with precision.”

Key Benefits of the Exabeam–Cribl Partnership:

• Targeted Data Ingestion: Ingests only the strategic, high-fidelity data needed to power your most important security use cases.
• Accelerated Platform Adoption: Minimizes downtime and data migration hurdles when transitioning to the New-Scale Platform.
• Flexible Data Routing: Routes data to and from any security tool—no new agents or infrastructure required.
• Long-Term Storage Optimization: Enables customers to bring their own storage or leverage cloud-based, cost-effective storage options, at reduced costs without sacrificing compliance or searchability.
• Historical Search and Replay: Retain the ability to run forensic investigations and compliance audits across months or years of archived data, at much lower cost than traditional SIEM storage.
• Data Filtering: Eliminates low-value or noisy logs to boost SIEM performance, reduce cost, and reclaim analyst bandwidth.

“An effective threat detection, investigation, and response strategy starts with clean, high-value, AI-ready data because better data leads to better decisions, faster investigations, and stronger defenses,” said Vlad Melnik, Vice President, Global Alliances at Cribl. “By combining Cribl’s flexible data routing and shaping capabilities with behavioral analytics and automation from Exabeam, we’re enabling customers to streamline SIEM data ingestion,      achieve their security goals more efficiently, and fuel their AI-powered SIEM. It’s a smarter, more sustainable path to cyber resilience.”

To learn more about the Exabeam and Cribl partnership, please visit: https://www.exabeam.com/partners/cribl/

About Exabeam

Exabeam is a leader in intelligence and automation that powers security operations for the world’s smartest companies. As a global cybersecurity innovator, Exabeam provides industry-proven, security-focused, and flexible solutions for faster, more accurate threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). Cutting-edge technology enhances security operations center performance, optimizing workflows and accelerating time to resolution. With consistent leadership in AI innovation and a proven track record in security information and event management (SIEM) and user behavior analytics, Exabeam empowers global security teams to combat cyberthreats, mitigate risk, and streamline operations.

Real Intelligence. Real Security. Real Fast.

Learn more at www.exabeam.com

About Cribl

Cribl, the Data Engine for IT and Security, empowers organizations to transform their data strategy. Customers use Cribl’s vendor-agnostic solutions to analyze, collect, process, and route all IT and security data from any source or to any destination, delivering the choice, control, and flexibility required to adapt to their ever-changing needs. Cribl’s product suite, which is used by Fortune 1000 companies globally, is purpose-built for IT and Security, including Cribl Stream, the industry’s leading observability pipeline, Cribl Edge, an intelligent vendor-neutral agent, Cribl Search, the industry’s first search-in-place solution, and Cribl Lake, a turnkey data lake. Founded in 2018, Cribl is a remote-first workforce with an office in San Francisco, CA.

Contacts

Cheyenne Wells

PR for Exabeam

exabeam@10fold.com

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Internet provider Lit Fibre, which harnesses CityFibre’s national UK full fibre (FTTP) network (covering c.4.5 million premises), has this afternoon announced the launch of three new line-only broadband packages for business customers – offering symmetric speeds from 500Mbps and up to 2.4Gbps, with contract options of 36, 24 and 12 months available.

Breaking news.. more to follow..

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Contributed Article

By Natalie Jones-Owen, Managing Director, Service Provider at Cisco 

As Britain accelerates its journey toward a digitally empowered future, Cisco stands ready to support this transformation by delivering innovative technology solutions that foster inclusion, resilience, and trust. Connectivity today is not a luxury but a fundamental enabler of economic growth, social equity, and public services. At Connected Britain 2025, the spotlight is on how technology can bridge divides and empower every community across the UK, and Cisco’s purpose aligns deeply with this vision.

Enabling Inclusive Connectivity and Public Sector Transformation

Cisco has long been part of the fabric of UK innovation. From securing our nation’s digital infrastructure to pioneering the first internet connections in schools, we have always believed in the power of technology to drive positive change. Our impact is profound across the public sector – from central government and national security to the frontline of vital public services. We are proud to partner with the organisations represented here, working together to deliver digital transformation where it matters most.

Over the past four decades, Cisco has partnered with service providers and local organizations to extend secure, scalable connectivity to underserved communities. As an example, our work with the NHS, through the Cisco-led Lister Alliance, brings together industry, health partners, and academia to deliver innovation through a unique network of Living Labs. Whether it’s deploying digital tools to combat loneliness, helping the elderly manage their health, or equipping frontline staff with technology to enhance productivity and job satisfaction, these ecosystems unlock transformative possibilities.

Securing Britain’s Digital Foundations for an AI Future

The UK’s Industrial Strategy underscores the critical role of digital infrastructure and skills in driving economic renewal and global competitiveness. Cisco supports this strategy by providing robust, future-ready networks that underpin AI and data-driven innovation. Reliable connectivity, data management, and seamless integration are now mission critical. This starts with building out data centre capacity, but also requires nationwide high-performing networks so that economic growth and public sector ambitions can be realised. For all the excitement around AI, none of it is possible without secure, scalable, and resilient infrastructure. As AI agents join us in the workforce and data demands surge, the foundations we lay now will determine our future success.

At the heart of Britain’s digital ambitions lies the powerful relationship between Cisco and the UK’s leading Service Providers. These partners form the backbone of critical national infrastructure, working hand in hand with government to deliver secure, resilient networks that underpin public services and national security. Together, we are powering an AI economy—building the digital highways for innovation and opportunity, and delivering trustworthy connectivity for an intelligent future.

UK Service Providers are transforming their operations to meet growing customer demands and unlock new digital experiences. As they embrace assurance, automation, and autonomous networking, they simplify networks, ensure resilience, and accelerate innovation—future-proofing their services while enabling new revenue streams and value.

Ethical AI and Social Impact: Technology for Good

Ethical AI is central to Cisco’s innovation ethos. We have developed a Responsible AI Framework built on fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy, and security. This guides our solutions to prevent bias, protect user data, and build public trust—essential for adoption in healthcare, education, and public safety.

Cisco’s social impact projects demonstrate AI’s potential to address real-world challenges. From supporting law enforcement to combatting human trafficking, to enabling  farmers with AI-driven insights, and maintaining critical infrastructure, we show how technology uplifts communities.

Transformation must go hand-in-hand with robust security and digital skills.  Through our Networking Academy, we’ve trained over 585,000 people in the UK—helping organisations and individuals prepare for the AI era with constantly evolving programs, including new AI courses.

Shaping a Trusted and Sustainable Digital Britain

At Connected Britain 2025, these themes resonate with the mission to create a more inclusive, innovative, and ethical digital Britain. Cisco’s portfolio and purposeful partnerships position us uniquely to empower people, protect society, and drive sustainable growth.

Together, we can build a connected Britain where technology is a force for good, enabling opportunity and trust for all.

Join Cisco and the rest of the UK’s connectivity ecosystem in discussion at Connected Britain 2025

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network testing firm Ookla, which collects data from consumers via their popular broadband Speedtest.net service, has today launched a new Speedtest Certified scheme. The program seems to be designed to help people verify whether properties like hotels, stadiums, event venues, office buildings, and airports are able to deliver “superior connectivity“.

According to Ookla, many property owners are looking to answer the question of how they can “prove to consumers that they deliver superior connectivity and are ready to support today’s connectivity needs“. The new Speedtest Certified service is said to be the answer to that.

The program aims to offer a “trusted badge of excellence“, which they claim will allow properties, like those mentioned earlier, to differentiate themselves by “proving their commitment to exceptional digital experiences“, backed by Ookla’s globally recognised reputation for broadband and mobile performance measurements.

In order to deliver on this, Ookla said they will adopt a data-driven approach, which aims to provide a comprehensive and objective assessment of a venue’s enterprise network deployment. This will measure “key factors“, such as Wi-Fi radio frequency (RF) quality, Wi-Fi network configuration, Wi-Fi network security assessment, network performance metrics, and ISP backhaul.

Stephen Bye, President and CEO of Ookla (Division of Ziff Davis), said:

“We’ve all felt the frustration of arriving at a hotel, conference, airport, or sporting event – only to discover that the internet connection is painfully slow. Today, Ookla is introducing a solution. For years, you’ve trusted Speedtest for your own connectivity. Now, with Speedtest Certified, we’re extending that trust to the places you visit. Our rigorous testing takes the gamble out of finding a reliable network, giving you a seal of approval you can count on.”

Properties that meet the “rigorous standards” will earn a high-value certification, backed by the Speedtest name. Certified network owners and partners also gain access to the Speedtest Certified Digital Platform, where they can access personalised insights, benchmark performance against other Speedtest Certified networks, and receive targeted recommendations for improvements.

In the past we have seen the odd similar scheme crop up, but these have typically been focused on very specific areas (e.g. large new MDUs) and often came from organisations that are unfamiliar to consumers. The fact that Ookla is involved and using their ‘Speedtest’ branding, while also targeting many different types of properties, could certainly help to make a difference.

However, so far as we can tell ordinary consumers may only be able to see very limited performance results for each property showing the Speedtest Certified “trusted badge of excellence” (e.g. 0 to 5 stars for speed etc.). The badge itself will then be valid for a period of 1 year, and after that the property must be re-certified to maintain its status.

Finally, the initial focus seems to be on in-building and WiFi connectivity performance (phase one), but Ookla later said there would be a phase two of the program that will expand the assessment to include cellular (4G/5G mobile) performance testing, which is expected to follow sometime in the “coming months“.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A new online survey of 2,000 UK adults, which was commissioned by Axicom on behalf of broadband ISP TalkTalk and conducted by OnePoll, claims to have found that “Wi-Fi” is the “most popular name” for home internet connections. One third of those asked said they use Wi-Fi to describe their internet connection, pipping “broadband” and “internet” to the post.

In addition, some 76% of respondents say they “confidently understand” the term Wi-Fi, although only half of those asked could confidently say they understand the term “fibre“, a name frequently used by telecoms companies to describe broadband products. Finally, 6 in 10 respondents agree that technology-related information is difficult to understand due to jargon.

Sadly, TalkTalk hasn’t released the full results of their survey, which makes it a bit tricky to give this the full context. But it does seem like an attempt by the ISP to help justify their focus on the use of “Wi-Fi” to describe broadband connectivity as part of their recent brand refresh (here and here), despite the fact that doing so may not be entirely correct and could reinforce a misconception.

Steve Wallage, TalkTalk’s Product and Propositions Director, said:

“Wi-Fi is a staple in all our homes, yet as an industry we haven’t kept up with the times when we talk to our customers. At TalkTalk, we’re shifting to talk about Wi-Fi more and more, as it’s the connectivity – making sure streaming or browsing is seamless – that matters most for our millions of customers.

Our latest research tells us that people prefer to communicate in the same way that they speak, without jargon, and our industry should reflect that. We know we’re not perfect, and we have much to do, but this is the first step in delivering a Better Way to Wi-Fi for customers who just want transparency and information they can confidently understand. And this builds trust between us and our customers too.”

The term “Wi-Fi” is of course also still jargon. But for the avoidance of doubt, in most homes Wi-Fi connectivity represents a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection that comes from your router and / or booster (repeaters / extenders etc.), which can also be used to help distribute the broadband internet connection from your ISP. But broadband can also be distributed from the router via wired (LAN) links too.

One problem with using Wi-Fi to describe broadband is that all sorts of other connectivity and performance issues can impact wireless links. But ISPs might not always want to associate that with the fixed line connectivity they provide, since to do so risks inheriting lots of additional support problems that exist outside of their realm.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Mobile network provider giffgaff, which is owned by Telefónica and uses O2’s associated virtual operator (MVNO) platform, has today officially taken their home broadband products – powered by nexfibre and Virgin Media’s full fibre networks – out of trial and made them available as commercial products for consumers to order.

Just to recap. The trial of this service was first unveiled in mid-April 2025 (here), which meant that giffgaff would become the first retail provider after Virgin Media to fully harness nexfibre’s new wholesale FTTP network – currently available to over 2.3 million UK premises. Admittedly, this wasn’t all that surprising, not least because Telefónica is also one of the co-parents behind Virgin Media and nexfibre.

In terms of the final launch packages and prices, giffgaff are offering three unlimited plans on a monthly rolling (30-day) term, which are naturally much more expensive than their trial prices. The 200Mbps (symmetric) service costs £34 per month, while 500Mbps is £36 and their top 900Mbps tier is £39. But those prices are still pretty good for a monthly term.

Customers in nexfibre areas who sign-up to this service can expect to receive an Amazon eero 6+ router (inc. giffgaff branded User Interface) and engineers will also install an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) from Arcadyan Technology (PB6802B-LG) inside your home.

However, at the time of writing, we struggled to get any positive results from their new broadband availability checker for nexfibre addresses, which instead returned this: “We’ve checked your address, and sadly, we can’t do your broadband just yet..” But this is probably just a launch bug, although it does mean that we can’t yet confirm whether the service installation is free or at cost.

Rajiv Datta, CEO of nexfibre, said:

“We’re delighted to see giffgaff’s broadband rolling out across our network. Our investment in an all XGS-PON network provides symmetrical high bandwidth connectivity, and also offers the agility to support the member co-created products that differentiate giffgaff in the marketplace.”

ISPreview also spotted that giffgaff have updated some of their support pages for the launch (here), which reveals a couple of interesting details. Firstly, the provider states that they’re still intending to make their packages available via Virgin Media’s fixed broadband network (“Later we’ll also leverage full fibre on Virgin Media O2’s network“), which suggests that at least some aspect of VMO2’s plan to open up their existing consumer broadband network to wholesale (c.16m premises) is still on the cards, despite recent events.

Secondly, giffgaff state that at present you can only take their home broadband and mobile services as “separate” products, but unsurprisingly they are planning to launch a bundle of the two in the future – not doubt with some extra incentives attached (price reductions etc.).

Breaking news.. more to follow..