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The Horsham-based Telecom Acquisitions Group (TAL), which is a holding company for a number of familiar residential-focused internet service provider brands (Home Telecom, Eclipse Broadband etc.), has acquired both the brand and customer base of another troubled ISP in the shape of Earth Broadband.

Earth Broadband (earth.) is a relatively new provider, which first popped up on our radar in 2023 alongside a commitment to plant 500,000 trees and remove 100,000 pounds of plastic each month by 2025 (here) – based on the optimistic assumption of having gained 100,000 customers. Speaking of which, on 4th Aug 2025 the provider reported that they’d so far helped to plant a total of 100,000 trees – good, but below the original target.

In any case, the latest development is that TAL appears to have completed the acquisition of Earth Broadband, which covers both their customer base and brand – this will now be managed under TAL’s existing Home Telecom brand.

The move comes shortly after Earth Broadband suffered a string of problems with poor support, billing errors and price rises (here). At the same time, a representative of the provider also revealed that it had been “selling broadband at a loss“, which may help to explain the latest development.

A quick look at Earth Broadband’s latest micro accounts shows that the company’s total assets less current liabilities stood at -£111k for the year ended 30th April 2024, which compares with -£75k reported in the prior year.

Luke Chapman, CEO of Earth Broadband, said:

“After an incredible three years, my time at Earth Broadband has come to an end.

Earth Broadband’s customers and brand have been acquired by Telecom Acquisitions Limited, under their Home Telecom Ltd brand, and I’m genuinely pleased to know our customers are going to a great home.

Building Earth Broadband has been an amazing journey. I’ve learned so much, worked with some brilliant people, and had a lot of fun along the way.

I’m grateful to everyone who’s been part of this chapter and I’m excited to see what’s next!”

We’re expecting TAL to issue an official press release on this today or tomorrow. The new owner is expected to inform Earth Broadband’s existing customers that their current terms, conditions, and pricing will remain the same. The provider’s customers, who are mainly connected to the PXC network (formerly TalkTalk Wholesale), should hopefully not experience any service disruption during the change. Credits to an anonymous reader for the tip.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The Kent County Council (KCC) in England has complained to the UK government about a “lack of progress” being made on the region’s Project Gigabit broadband rollout contract for rural communities. The £112m (state aid) contract for this was awarded to CityFibre in early 2024 (here), which committed to extend full fibre to 50,000+ hard-to-reach premises.

However, the last progress update we saw on the contract for Kent (Lot 29) came in January 2025, when CityFibre announced that they’d entered the rollout (build) phase. But since then neither CityFibre nor the government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has issued any further progress updates of real substance and it didn’t figure into BDUK’s recent progress update either (here), albeit mainly because the data for that only ran to the end of 2024.

Paul King, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Coastal Regeneration, has now written to Sir Chris Bryant MP, UK Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms, asking “why there has been so little progress” in delivering the Government’s Project Gigabit programme across Kent, despite the procurement work starting more than three years ago.

“To date, BDUK have still not published any indications as to when local areas are likely to benefit from these connections – or details on whether any premises have been connected to date,” said the statement from KCC. Cllr King also raised the lack of information available to home and business owners about when they might receive the new broadband capability as a concern. He explained this made it difficult for them to make decisions about tying in with providers who will not be able to offer services on the new infrastructure.

The councillor added that there are at least 100,000 properties in the county who could have the fast speeds who do not feature in the current programme and there is currently “no suggestion if or when they might in any future plans for expansion of the project“.

Councillor Paul King said:

“Good broadband connectivity is essential to enable any business to thrive and for residents to access the services and opportunities they need. We understand the complexities and challenges involved in building broadband infrastructure in hard-to-reach areas but it is difficult to understand why it is taking so long for these much-needed connections to be delivered at the pace required.

This is simply not acceptable. Our region continues to lag substantially behind with respect to broadband connectivity while the UK’s Industrial Strategy 2025 is contingent on unlocking the value of data and accelerating AI adoption across businesses. If this Government is serious about economic growth then digital infrastructure must come first – without reliable internet access, AI is nothing more than a buzzword.”

The issue that KCC raises is in fact not unique to Kent. The Project Gigabit programme as a whole, which is much more centrally managed than earlier schemes (e.g. Superfast Broadband Programme / SFBB), has been generally quite poor at keeping people in contracted areas up-to-date with progress once the build has begun.

So while earlier schemes, run and managed at the local authority level, often produced regular progress updates, reports and interactive coverage maps etc. The Project Gigabit programme has communicated very little of the same and only recently started releasing general data on the number of contracted premises that had been built.

ISPreview has raised this with BDUK a few times before and we are expecting Kent to be included in the programme’s next progress update, which is due to drop before the end of this year (this should also include some additional details). But there’s clearly room for improvement, although the government would perhaps need to put more resources on the table to make that happen.

In the meantime, Cllr King has asked for the restoration of the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) in Kent, “so communities can request a better broadband connection in their area“. The GBVS is currently suspended across much of the country (not all), including Kent, albeit partly to avoid it clashing with and risking a duplication of public investment with Project Gigabit’s primary build contracts.

We have also asked CityFibre for a comment and hopefully a progress update on the deployment in Kent.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA), which represents many of the UK’s alternative broadband networks, has today posted somewhat of a belated welcome to the new Digital and Technologies Sector Plan. But they also warn that “further clarity is needed” on how the Government will support competition as FTTP rollouts slow and consolidation pressures grow.

The plan itself was first published all the way back in June 2025, alongside the Government’s new Infrastructure Strategy for the next 10 years (here). Just prior to this, the government had already confirmed that it would invest £1.9bn into gigabit broadband and mobile projects (this comes from existing commitments) until 2029/30 (2025 Spending Review).

The Industrial Strategy also included a Digital and Technologies Sector Plan, which among other things committed £370 million to support cutting-edge, UK-developed technologies to deliver advanced connectivity improving coverage for communities, providing connectivity across transport networks, and supporting defence applications – like drones.

This breaks down to include a £240 million Advanced Connectivity Tech R&D programme, and a further £130 million will go towards strengthening the capabilities of the UK Telecoms Lab, enhancing the security and reliability of the country’s networks.

INCA has now welcomed the wider strategy’s focus on enhancing infrastructure, boosting access to finance, and securing international partnerships, which they believe “presents clear opportunities for the Altnet sector“.

The proposed Connections Accelerator Service and reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime are also said to be “particularly welcome, given longstanding delays in grid connections and planning decisions” that have “held back broadband delivery“. But they also seek “further clarity” on how the Government will support competition in broadband markets as “rollout slows and consolidation pressures grow“.

Paddy Paddison, INCA CEO, said:

“This strategy is a strong signal that digital infrastructure is not just a utility but a foundation for growth, innovation, and resilience. We’re pleased to see gigabit-capable broadband recognised as critical to the UK’s industrial and technological future.

But turning ambition into action requires a level playing field. Altnets are rolling out fibre faster than ever before, bringing innovation, speed and competition to businesses and people across the UK. For the Government to meet its own targets, independent providers must be supported through pro-investment regulation, fair access to Openreach infrastructure, and a planning system that facilitates, not frustrates, full-fibre deployment.

This is a moment to back the builders. The Altnet sector stands ready to deliver – but the Government must ensure its policies, funding programmes and regulatory frameworks actively support smaller players, not just the incumbent.

We look forward to engaging with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on the implementation of the strategy and urges ministers to recognise the essential role of Altnets in achieving national coverage targets and digital leadership.”

The words seem to be largely designed to help ensure that INCA’s voice is heard as much as possible, particularly in light of Ofcom’s forthcoming Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR) proposals, which some altnets fear may soften the regulation too much on market incumbent Openreach (BT) and thus overlook their concerns in the process.

Altnets have previously raised concerns over the fairness of pricing for Openreach’s physical infrastructure access product (i.e. the cost of running new fibre via the incumbents existing cable ducts and poles), as well as how Ofcom intends to adjust the size / definition of UK areas deemed to now be competitive and the issue of discounts on the incumbents FTTP products etc.

On the flip side, the whole market is currently in a state of transition due to wider economic strains, and there’s a limit to what the government can do to specifically help that. Ofcom also has the difficult task of trying to find some fair balance between so many differing views and vested interests. However, there are some areas of shared agreement, such as in calls for more flexibility in planning and street works (e.g. flexi-permits).

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has indicated, via a new briefing, that they are “making a limited volume” of Saturday provision (installation) appointments available for Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband line deployments. Retail ISPs will be able to select these if they so desire, at least for a limited time.

The briefing itself contains precious little information, and our hails to Openreach yesterday have thus far gone unanswered. The network operator does not typically offer Saturday FTTP provisions as standard, but in the past they have used such methods in order to cope with high demand, clear a backlog or as part of premium (flexible appointment) provisions.

Internet providers can of course choose whether or not to partake in this, and if they do then that should show up as part of the usual broadband order process (i.e. when you select to book an appointment). Consumers would no doubt welcome the greater availability of Saturday appointments, but such things do often come at extra cost and hassle for the network operator.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The Government has modified the Single Supplier Framework agreement that they awarded to Openreach (BT) last year under their Project Gigabit broadband roll-out scheme (here). The deal was originally valued at “up to” £800m and designed to help upgrade 312,000 premises in some of the hardest to reach UK areas to FTTP. But this has just been boosted in value to £1.2bn.

The framework agreement was later followed by the gradual awarding of seven related Cross-Regional (Type C) contracts to Openreach (here, here and here) – covering poorly served parts of Wales, Scotland and England (i.e. often remote rural locations with no prior access to a gigabit-capable broadband network).

The areas covered by these Type C contracts typically reflect those where no or no appropriate market interest had previously been expressed before to the Government’s umbrella Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency, or areas that have been descoped or terminated from a prior plan / contract (usually due to being too expensive for smaller suppliers to reach).

The seven call-off contracts that have so far been awarded under the framework agreement are summarised below, reflecting a total of over £730m in committed public investment and nearly 300,000 premises. In addition, any future fibre build delivered through this framework won’t have to go through another competitive process each time (i.e. later extension projects and infill in these areas will be easier to agree).

• Lancashire, North Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire, West and Mid Surrey, Staffordshire, West Berkshire and Hertfordshire (£149.7 million, 54,300 premises)
• West and North Devon, North West, Mid and South East Wales (£139.1 million, 42,200 premises)
• East and South Shropshire, North Herefordshire, North Wales, and South West Wales (£108 million, 47,000 premises)
• Mid Devon, North Somerset, and South Devon (£77 million, 37,000 premises)
• Essex and North East England (£61 million, 24,000 premises)
• Worcestershire (£41 million, 22,000 premises)
• Scotland (£157 million, 65,000 premises)

Openreach has already begun to extend their new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network into many of the above contracted areas. The new service, once live, can be ordered via various ISPs, such as BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk, Vodafone and more (Openreach FTTP ISP Choices) – it is not usually an automatic upgrade, although some providers are doing something similar to that.

However, the big development being spotted by ISPreview today is that the government has just made a significant modification to the related framework agreement with the BT Group. In short, the awarded contract value has increased by £400m to total £1.2bn from the original value of £800m.

The Government states that the reason for this modification stems from the following changes: A) The need for additional works, services or supplies by Openreach and, B) Additional scope has been added to the contract in accordance with the UK subsidy control regime.

This suggests that either the aforementioned contracts are going to be extended to cover additional premises or the roll-out is costing more than expected (possibly also a combination of the two). At the time of writting we’re still awaiting some clarification on the impact of this from Openreach, although they may not yet be in a position to provide much detail.

However, it’s also possible that the framework may have needed some adjustment for other reasons, such as to compensate for the fact that a number of smaller alternative networks have recently either withdrawn or scaled-back their own smaller deployment contracts under the Project Gigabit scheme. In theory, the descoped areas could be moved into Openreach’s Type C contracts, particularly if previous market engagement exercises in those areas showed little interest from other suppliers.

For example, Freedom Fibre recently scaled back their £24m Project Gigabit broadband roll-out contract for North Shropshire (here) and “mutually agreed to terminate” their £43m deal for Cheshire (here). Several other network operators similarly dropped out of their contracts, including Voneus’ £12m deal for Mid West Shropshire (here) and FullFibre Limited in the Derbyshire Peak District (£10.7m) and Herefordshire (£23.4m) – here. We suspect that one or two other contracts may also be at risk of going the same way.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News

The move aims to avoid unnecessary deployments and make efficient use of public network assets

According to recent reports, South Africa is advancing efforts to coordinate and consolidate public fiber infrastructure across state-owned enterprises (SOEs), aiming to improve digital connectivity, reduce costs, and expand high-speed internet access to underserved areas. This process would include integrating the currently fragmented fiber networks operated independently by entities such as Eskom, Transnet, and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).

In a recent post on X (Twitter), South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi described ‘productive meeting’ with Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, aimed at developing a less siloed approach to fibre infrastructure management for SOEs.

Just concluded a productive meeting with Minister @Kgosientsho_R.

Currently, different SOE’s (like Eskom, Transnet and PRASA) each run their own fibre lines to support operations. Often those lines run along the same corridors, which means parallel builds, higher costs and… pic.twitter.com/lZZhnq2mfE

— SollyMalatsi (@SollyMalatsi) August 26, 2025

Better coordinating the fibre assets of SEOs has been a government priority for over three years, being a feature of the South African National Development Plan and the objectives of the Broadband Infraco (BBI) Act.

In June 2025, the Communications Committee of Parliament was updated on plans to establish a State Digital Infrastructure Company (SDIC). This entity is intended to act as a wholesale infrastructure provider by consolidating assets not only from Broadband InfraCo, Sentech, and the Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) but also key SOEs such as Eskom, Transnet, PRASA, and the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL). The SDIC’s mandate is to streamline and optimise the digital infrastructure landscape for improved service delivery and national connectivity goals.

The exact timeline for establishing the SDIC has yet to be announced.

Also in the news:
US judge rules Huawei must face charges of fraud and racketeering
Optus ditches football rights to focus on telecoms
Nokia launches digital twin platform Enscryb to digitalise energy sector

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) has proposed to update their Telecommunications Security Code of Practice (2022). This sets out what sort of specific security measures public telecoms providers (broadband, mobile etc.) must take in order to protect their networks from attack and data breaches.

The code is an extension of the wider Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 (summary), which itself was originally introduced to restrict the use of Huawei’s kit in UK mobile and broadband networks, while also imposing a variety of changes to make UK telecoms networks safer from cyberattack.

The law and its supporting Code of Practice effectively handed significant new powers to the Government and Ofcom, enabling them to intervene in how telecommunications companies run their business, manage supply chains, design and even operate networks. Fines of up to 10% of turnover or £100,000 a day can even be issued against those that fail to meet the required standards, albeit tiered to different sizes of provider.

However, the Code also included a commitment to “review and update the Code of Practice periodically as new threats emerge and technologies evolve“, which is what the government are now proposing to do. This partly reflects the result of feedback received from both the UK’s security agencies (e.g. NCSC) and evidence from public telecoms providers, which highlighted new vulnerabilities uncovered by continued and expanded security testing, as well as new incident reporting on security compromises.

Government Statement on Updating the Telecoms Security Code

In light of these factors, and regular feedback received from industry, the government believes now is an appropriate time to update the Code of Practice.

The updates being proposed are intended to:

• Reflect evolving technology. Since the Code of Practice was published, use of certain technologies has increased, including eSIMs, automation tools, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). To ensure safe and secure adoption of such technologies, we need to ensure we are providing effective and up-to-date guidance to public telecoms providers.
• Reflect emerging security threats. Recent hostile-state-linked attacks on US telecoms networks have demonstrated the dramatic impact a cyber-attack can have. We need to ensure the Code of Practice reflects the need for public telecoms providers to take appropriate and proportionate measures to protect their networks against such threats.
• Provide further clarity. Public telecoms providers have suggested the Code of Practice is ambiguous in places and lacks specific guidance on certain measures, such as those relating to security testing and use of privileged access workstations. The proposed updates look to give further guidance on these matters.
• Reemphasise the need to take a holistic approach to the Code of Practice.

In summary, the proposed updates include:

(i) some drafting changes for greater clarity in Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Code
(ii) some additional measures in Section 3 of the Code, and
(iii) associated guidance in Section 2 of the Code.

As set out above, these proposed updates are intended to help public telecoms providers protect UK telecoms networks and services in light of evolving threats and emerging technologies.

The related consultation on all this is set to run until 11:59pm on 22nd October 2025.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

Empowering the Workforce Through Digital Infrastructure: NETS International’s Vision for the UK

The UK’s fibre and telecoms landscape is evolving rapidly. In just the past 18 months, the market has shifted from aggressive network builds to a sharper focus on operational efficiency and customer experience. In this new phase, empowering the workforce is more than a necessity – it is the foundation for sustaining Digital Britain.

At the heart of this conversation is Jahangir Ahmad, Managing Director of NETS International Group, who will be joining the Digital Britain Stage at Connected Britain for the panel discussion “Empowering the workforce in the age of new and emerging technologies” (11:40 – 12:20 – Day 02).

Under the leadership of its Group Managing Director, NETS International has grown from a regional player into a multinational company delivering mission-critical infrastructure across telecom, energy, and digital transformation. Today, NETS operates across the UK, Germany, USA, Canada, UAE, KSA, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan – with a consistent focus on inclusive growth, job creation, and digital skills development. At Connected Britain, NETS brings a people-first perspective: showing how technology and resilient operations can empower communities, industries, and workforces alike.

NETS UK: Powering Connections and Operations

In the UK, NETS International is recognised for its ability to deliver on-the-ground impact at scale.

Customer Installations: With nearly a 100 in-house engineers and a monthly capacity of over 6,000 installations, NETS has become a trusted partner for a number of UK ISPs and Altnets. The end-to-end service covers site surveys, civils, overhead/underground deployment, in-home cabling, ONT and router configuration, testing, and sign-off – ensuring customers are seamlessly connected.

Operations & Maintenance (O&M): NETS provides SLA-driven, 24/7 operational support to ensure networks remain resilient and available. From preventive inspections and firmware updates to corrective fibre repairs, equipment replacement, and a dynamic back-office support team to manage your issues behind-the-scenes, NETS’ workforce leverages advanced digital tools – including SupportX, MapX, Power BI, and VR Technology – some of these being in-house tools, to enhance quality, transparency, and field-to-office collaboration.

Together, these portfolios represent how NETS is not just deploying networks, but empowering the workforce that sustains them, giving technicians, engineers, and operators the tools, processes, and support needed to deliver excellence every day.

A Broader Commitment

For Jahangir, empowering the workforce extends beyond operational efficiency. It is about fostering digital inclusion, driving industry-academia collaboration, and building sustainable ecosystems where innovation thrives alongside resilience.

As UK operators navigate cost pressures and shifting strategies, NETS offers a flexible engagement model designed to help them reduce Opex, and help operators strengthen efficiency and achieve sustainable growth, without losing focus on workforce empowerment.

Join the conversation at Connected Britain.

NETS is proud to be part of the UK’s journey toward a fully connected future. Catch Jahangir Ahmad live on the Digital Britain Stage at Connected Britain (11:40 – 12:20), and meet the NETS UK team at Booth 40 to learn how their Customer Connections and O&M services are contributing to Digital Britain.

To arrange a meeting, contact: contact@nets-international.com

Find more about NETS by following its LinkedIn and X, or visiting the website: https://nets-international.com/

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News

The fine is the largest ever imposed by South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Committee (PIPC)

This week, South Korea’s privacy regulator has announced it will fine SK Telecom 134.8 billion won (~$97 million) in response to a data breach the company revealed in April.

The fine is the largest in the PIPC’s history to date. Prior to this, the committee’s largest fines were those levied against Google and Meta in 2022 for collecting consumer data without consent. The tech giants were fined 69.2 billion won (~$50 million) and 30.8 billion won (~$22 million), respectively.

The cyberattack in question took place on June 15, 2022, but was not reported to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) by SKT until April 22 this year, suggesting that installed malware remained undetected for three years.

Reports suggest that 23 of SKT’s servers were impacted, which collectively held four different types of USIM data, including International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbers. These unique numbers are used to identify individual customers.

In total, 9.32 gigabytes of USIM-related data, including 26.9 million IMSI numbers, were compromised in the attack and may have been leaked.

In response to the breach, SKT pledged to bolster its cybersecurity, as well as offering free USIM card replacements to all affected subscribers. The company also paused its acquisition of new subscribers, only restarting the process in June.

In its announcement, the PIPC described SKT’s internal cybersecurity system as having been in a “very weak condition”, saying the company had failed to properly manage access rights to customer data and did not encrypt USIM authentication keys. It also accused the company of delaying notifying affected customers.

As such, alongside the punitive fine, the PIPC has also approved corrective measures from SKT, which include a system audit, additional security measures, and a review of the company’s data governance policies.

“We hope this incident serves as a reminder for companies that process large volumes of personal data to view the personal information protection budgets as an essential investment,” said PIPC Chairperson Ko Hak-soo in a press conference. “We also expect it will raise awareness of the role and importance of CPOs (Chief Privacy Officers) and dedicated privacy teams in corporate management.”

SKT responded to the announcement by saying that it took the decision “with a deep sense of responsibility”, but said it was “regrettable” that the company’s “customer protection measures and explanations were not reflected in the outcome”.

SKT announced in July that it will invest 700 billion won (~$500,000) in a new information security plan and 500 billion won (~$360,000) in a customer protection plan over the next five years.

It is unclear whether the operator will appeal the regulator’s decision.

Also in the news:
US judge rules Huawei must face charges of fraud and racketeering
Optus ditches football rights to focus on telecoms
Nokia launches digital twin platform Enscryb to digitalise energy sector

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Mobile operator and broadband ISP Vodafone UK (VodafoneThree) has today confirmed that they’ve now gone live on CommunityFibre’s alternative Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based fixed line network in London. The provider says this means that 550,000 “additional” homes across all 32 boroughs can now access their broadband plans at speeds of “up to” 2.2Gbps.

Until now it’s generally only been possible to take Vodafone’s home broadband packages via Openreach or CityFibre’s national full fibre networks. But in London this tends to be restricted to just Openreach’s network, which is due to the fact that CityFibre’s often faster and cheaper network hasn’t deployed any FTTP across the UK’s capital.

However, back in June 2025 the newly merged VodafoneThree revealed that they also planned to onboard with CommunityFibre’s alternative FTTP network (here), which currently reaches around 1.5 million homes and businesses across London. Since then, we’ve been patiently waiting for the new network to officially become available to Vodafone’s customers, which is what today’s announcement is all about.

At the time of writing it’s not completely clear why Vodafone has only stated this for 550k additional homes, but we can speculate that it’s likely to be at least partly because they may just be counting the areas where only CommunityFibre’s network is present (i.e. no Openreach overlap). In any case, Vodafone states that the combination of Openreach, CityFibre and CommunityFibre means their “total full fibre footprint [is now available] to more than 21.5 million homes nationwide“.

The pricing for their new CommunityFibre based plans appear to be roughly similar to those of CityFibre’s. Residents can expect to pay from £23 per month for symmetric speeds of 150Mbps and that goes up to £60 for their top 2.2Gbps package (take note that monthly prices increase by £3 in April each year). This includes a wireless router and free installation.

Existing mobile customers are currently also being offered a £75 bill credit when they take the service. You can also upgrade to a WiFi 7 capable router, WiFi mesh system, 4G backup, better internet security and improved support for a few pounds per month extra (Pro 3 add-on).