Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The development of the next gen Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn – Ultra High Reliability) standard – led by Task group IEEE802.11bn – is said to be making “steady progress” and, according to Qualcomm Technologies, a high-level of consensus has now been achieved on a significant portion of the future standard that will focus more on improving network reliability than speed.

At present most UK consumers have yet to even adopt kit that supports either the Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax with support for the 6GHz band) or latest Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be – Extremely High Throughput) standard. Both of those made big improvements toward network reliability and tackling congestion, but they were also a lot more about peak speeds and harnessing the “new” 6GHz band.

In theory, the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard might be able to achieve theoretical peak data speeds of up to 46Gbps (Gigabits per second) in your local network. But history tells us that real-world experiences always fall considerably below that level (real-world peaks of 5-6Gbps are more realistic on the best kit) – due to various factors like distance from access point, signal obstructions, power levels, spectrum allocations, router / antenna design and interference from other networks etc.

Suffice to say that raw network speed is less of an issue in the current standard than ensuring that you can actually deliver that capability with some reliability to users of the network. The good news, we think, is that developers of the next WiFi standard are already adopting a different approach, which is why the Wi-Fi 8 initiative has long been known as Ultra High Reliability (UHR).

The good news is that the initial technical draft standard for Wi-Fi 8 – TGbn draft 1.0 (D1.0) – was effectively agreed last week (we don’t expect the final standard until May 2028) and Qualcomm Technologies, which is playing a role in its development (one of many organisations), have now given us a preview of what we can expect and how it will improve reliability.

Key Features of Wi-Fi 8 – Qualcomm

Seamless roaming:

802.11bn introduces a transformative approach to mobility through the concept of Single Mobility Domains, enabling seamless roaming across multiple access points. This allows devices to provide a “once connected, always connected” experience by maintaining continuous, low-latency connections as they move — without the interruptions or packet drops caused by traditional handoffs.

Reliable coverage at the edge:

Another important innovation vector in the 802.11bn standard is the focus on enhancing edge performance — the ability of a Wi-Fi network to maintain reliable, high-quality connectivity for client devices operating under non-ideal signal conditions. This is especially important for client devices operating at the outer boundaries of AP coverage or in environments with signal degradation due to distance, interference or power limitations. The standard addresses these challenges with a range of physical layer enhancements that work together to strengthen performance at the edge.

Smarter coordination for dense deployments:

In high-density environments, such as enterprise campuses, apartment buildings and public venues, Wi-Fi networks can face challenges with overlapping signals and airtime contention. These conditions can lead to latency spikes, degraded throughput and overall user experience. Wi-Fi 8 tackles this head-on with one of its most important innovations: multi-AP coordination. By enabling APs to operate collaboratively rather than independently, Wi-Fi 8 introduces a smarter, more efficient way to access the medium and share resources between access points, providing a consistent user experience.

Improved in-device coexistence:

Modern devices increasingly integrate multiple radios (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB), creating new coexistence challenges, such as disruptions on one technology while the shared antenna is used for another technology. Wi-Fi 8 introduces improved in-device coexistence to ensure smoother operation when multiple radios share antennas or spectrum, gracefully handling the temporary outages when the antenna is used for another technology.

Smarter energy use:

As Wi-Fi becomes more central to everyday life, power efficiency is critical for extending battery life of client devices and mobile APs and reducing energy consumption of fixed APs and residential gateways. Wi-Fi 8 introduces new features that make wireless connectivity more energy-aware without compromising responsiveness.

According to the IEEE’s related Scope Document, Wi-Fi 8 will also aim to deliver at least 25% higher throughput in challenging signal conditions, 25% lower latency at the 95th percentile of the latency distribution and 25% fewer dropped packets, especially when roaming between access points. This perhaps isn’t as attractive to marketing departments as peak network speed figures, but it’s a big improvement for a technology as mature as Wi-Fi.

Now, if history is anything to go by, we might well see the first Wi-Fi 8 capable hardware starting to ship in late 2027 using a near final draft specification of the full standard – usually at heavily inflated prices. But it’ll probably be late 2028 or early 2029 before final certified kit starts to ship based on non-draft standards.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network operator CityFibre, which has already deployed their 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP network across around 4.5 million UK premises, recently indicated to Mobile Europe’s Digital Telco event that they would be looking to upgrade to 50G-PON or 100G-PON during the early to mid 2030s.

The operator, which has long aspired to reach 8 million premises (c.30% of the UK) and just secured a major £2.3bn funding boost to fuel its plans for wider market consolidation (here), only recently completed an upgrade from their legacy G-PON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) to XGS-PON (Symmetric 10Gbps PON) technology – a process that took roughly two years after starting in the Spring of 2023 (here).

The new XGS-PON network is already being supported by faster multi-gigabit wholesale tiers for ISPs and consumers, such as the 2.5Gbps (symmetric) speed tier that first launched in 2023 (here) and the 5.5Gbps product that joined it in June 2025 (here). One of the first UK broadband providers to offer the top 5.5Gbps tier recently became Sky Broadband (here).

As usual, the catch here is that harnessing such speeds online is still rather tricky for domestic connections, particularly since it’s already difficult to max out a 1Gbps line via most online services (Why Buying Gigabit Broadband Doesn’t Always Deliver 1Gbps), although some platforms (e.g. Steam, Microsoft) are catching up. Mind you, it wasn’t so long ago that we were saying the same thing about 100Mbps packages or 1-2Mbps before that etc.

However, the forward march of technology waits for no man, and CityFibre, as well as other operators (e.g. Netomnia recently became the first to introduce a 50G-PON network – here), are already looking beyond XGS-PON. According to CityFibre’s Chief Technology Officer, David Tomalin, the operator has developed a “15 to 20 year rolling plan for PON technologies” to support their wholesale ISP clients and ensure they remain competitive.

David Tomalin said (credits TelcoTitans):

“The ability to move from GPON to XGS-PON: we’ve overlaid that in a twelve-month period because we can quickly upgrade the network to do that, and then we plan for the 2030s — mid-2030s, early-2030s — to move to 50G or 100G PON. Again, it’s going to be the same sort of twelve-month migration period, if we decide to do it.”

According to CityFibre’s own statements, the GPON to XGS-PON upgrade actually took twice as long as David suggests above (starting in May 2023 and finishing in mid-2025), which is also excluding their initial pilot in York. But it’s reasonable to believe that the main bulk of this work (migration) took place during 2024-2025 and the learnings they’ve taken from that could result in a more rapid roll-out of future technologies.

At this point it’s important to stress that such upgrades aren’t just about delivering faster speeds to consumers and the obvious marketing benefits of being able to promote faster packages than the incumbent(s), particularly Openreach and Virgin Media (inc. nexfibre). The adoption of something like 50G-PON can also make managing the network and its capacity more cost-effective, particularly as the network fills up with customers.

David does however appear to be undecided on their exact technology choice for the future, which we suspect may be partly subject to how quickly the network grows its coverage and take-up over the next few years. Not to mention the maturity of commercial 50G or 100G PON products. Currently 50G PON suppliers have only just started to push related products into the market and network operators also have to ensure that they can feed this with plenty of data capacity.

Naturally other network operators will be making similar plans, although we don’t usually hear them talking about such things in public so early on.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The business division of UK broadband and mobile giant Virgin Media and O2 – VMO2 Business – have this morning announced that their recent merger with the Daisy Group has today resulted in the launch of a new B2B telecoms company called O2 Daisy (not to be confused with O2’s anti-scam AI chatbot of the same name).

The new company, which will have annual pro forma revenues of around £1.4bn (Daisy Group holds a 30% stake in the business and VMO2 holds the other 70%), is said to be the UK’s “second largest small and medium-sized business solutions provider” – targeted at serving businesses from Small Office Home Office (SOHO) to Large Enterprise and Public Sector organisations.

O2 Daisy claims it will “redefine the communications and IT experience for customers and support British businesses of all sizes“, while also offering a “complete set” of digital-first connectivity solutions and managed service solutions under one roof (e.g. data and WiFi solutions, workplace tools, 5G Private Networks, cloud-based services, cybersecurity, Teams Phone Mobile, and O2 Motion movement insights etc.).

Now operating as one team, the business also has bases across the country – including hubs in Nelson, Sheffield, Manchester, London, Reading, Bournemouth and beyond. The company will be led by Matthew Riley as Chairman and Jo Bertram as CEO.

Jo Bertram, CEO of O2 Daisy, said:

“Today we start on our mission to shake up the market and provide the technology needed to make every business better. With the launch of our new standalone company, we’re putting our focus on what really matters – helping businesses of all sizes connect and grow. By bringing together two experienced teams and supercharging them with scaled networks, agile systems and comprehensive products, we’re ready to deliver exceptional outcomes for our customers.”

The launch means that, from today, customers should be able to access the best products and services from both organisations, underpinned by Virgin Media and O2’s connectivity solutions and Daisy’s “personalised support“. But the official O2 Daisy website is currently somewhat of a blank slate and the operator intends to continue serving customers under their existing brands “during the integration phase“.

Further brand and operational updates expected in the “coming months“, with additional products also being expected to launch over that same sort of timeframe.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A two-year-long campaign by residents and councillors in the Rochdale town of Heywood has succeeded in getting broadband provider IX Wireless (UK ISP 6Gi / Opus Broadband) to remove their 15-metre tall metal mast / pole on Snowden Street. The council said the structure had an “unsightly appearance” and that there had been “little or no consultation with local communities” before its deployment.

The company, which holds an aspiration to cover 250,000 premises across North West England with their new network (here), has been building a hybrid fibre and wireless broadband network across several towns in the region, such as Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Nelson, Accrington, Thornton-Cleveleys, Fleetwood, Blackpool, Tameside and Oldham etc.

However, the “up to” 15-metre-high metal poles (masts) that they build don’t always go down well with nearby residents, with people often highlighting their negative visual appearance. On the flip side, unlike the smaller 9m tall wood telecoms poles that are used for fixed lines, being a wireless service means they only need to deploy a smaller number of these in order to cover a wide area.

The problem is that such structures don’t always have to go through the usual planning process, which means they can pop up quite quickly and often without locals getting much of a say. But they are still subject to some conditions and restrictions when installing telecommunications apparatus. One of which includes the need to, so far as reasonably practicable, minimise the impact on the visual amenity of nearby properties.

The council’s original enforcement notice against the mast highlighted both its “unsightly appearance” and that there had been “little or no consultation with local communities” before its deployment. IX Wireless initially attempted to appeal the decision with the Planning Inspectorate, but have since withdrawn it and the mast has now been removed.

Neil Emmott, Leader of the Council, said (Manchester Evening News):

“We’re delighted that this unsightly mast in Heywood has been removed. We’re very aware of the impact these masts have had on our communities and share our residents’ obvious concerns about their unsightly appearance.

That’s why we have invested considerable time and resources into tackling this issue, including contacting Ofcom and issuing a planning enforcement notice. We’re aware that there are other masts in the borough which are also causing issues for residents and we are also seeking their removal.

The removal of the mast in Heywood is a step in the right direction and we are engaged in ongoing discussions with IX wireless to build on this and get the right result for affected residents in all parts of the borough.

We are acutely aware of how essential good internet access is and that’s why we introduced our award-winning mesh network to tackle digital exclusion. We’ve already connected more than 1,500 people to this free civic Wifi and it is helping to transform lives. That’s why we know that excellent internet access can be achieved without the need for unsightly masts of the kind which IX wireless have brought into our borough.”

As indicated in Neil Emmott’s comment above, Ofcom does have an ongoing investigation into this case (here). But that only started in May 2025 and IX Wireless’ decision perhaps reflects the pressures from both that and the risk of wider negative publicity if they’d instead opted to continue their appeal. Such investigations tend to take a long time to reach a conclusion, although the regulator’s powers in this area remain quite limited (here).

In addition, it’s worth noting that the ISPA and INCA recently published new ‘Best Practice Guidance’ for gigabit broadband operators that are building new poles as part of their UK network expansions. The guidance aims to support the Government’s goal of “ending the deployment of unnecessary telegraph poles” (here), not least by requiring providers to engage more closely with communities before they build (details here).

Suffice to say that today’s political and regulatory climate is much less tolerant of new poles and masts than it once was. But it remains to be seen whether the local authority in this case will have success in lodging similar pressure against some of IXW’s other structures in different areas. At the same time we shouldn’t forget that this could also have a negative impact on customers who have already connected to the new broadband service.

However, the above outcome doesn’t currently set a wider precedent for other network operators, not least because IXW’s large 15m metal poles/masts are visually quite different, as well as being much larger, than your typical c.9m high wood telegraph / telecoms poles (i.e. any future ruling by Ofcom may thus also not be directly translatable to the latter).

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Customers of mobile network operator O2 (Virgin Media) have recently been notified that, from 11th August 2025, they will no longer be able to access the provider’s “Priority” service via the website. Priority exists to reward loyal subscribers with various special offers and discounts.

According to O2’s notice on the Priority web page: “From 11 August 2025, you won’t be able to access Priority through our website. Don’t miss out on exclusive rewards and experiences – download the Priority app today.” In short, O2 Priority is adopting an App-only access mould.

However, the Express notes that customers will still continue to be able to access O2 Priority pre-sale tickets on Ticketmaster following the change. Customers need to be logged into their O2 Priority account and will be redirected to the Ticketmaster website to complete their ticket purchase.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has begun to trial panic alarms for their staff after revealing that UK engineers reported 450 incidents of abuse and assault in the year to the end of March 2025, which is up 8% in the last year and represents a shocking 40% increase when compared with 2022-23. Other providers have seen a similar trend.

The incidents themselves tend to vary – covering everything from verbal abuse to threats with scissors, assault (e.g. being pushed down some stairs, punched or shaken off ladders), racism, spitting, swearing, homeowners preventing staff from leaving, as well as inappropriate or threatening behaviour toward female engineers etc.

Similarly, Virgin Media and O2 reported 26 incidents last year that involved physical or verbal abuse and threatening behaviour, although they’re already predicting that this could double for the current year. Sky (Sky Broadband Sky TV etc.) reported 99 incidents involving engineers last year, although the figure for this year appears to be about the same. Vodafone and Three UK also suffered about 40 to 50 incidents in total.

Openreach has now been placed in the unenviable position of feeling as if it needs to trial panic alarms, which in this case reflects an app on engineers’ mobile phones. The alarm can connect them in seconds to a monitoring centre and even dispatch the emergency services, if required.

Adam Elsworth, Openreach Health & Safety Director, said:

“I used to be worried about people falling off ladders, road traffic accidents or tripping over potholes. But actually we have seen a steady increase in violence and abuse. A quarter of all the accidents we record are now someone being attacked or abused, and it is continuing to rise. And when I look at these incidents I struggle to see the rationale behind the level of escalation.”

Some of the cases do get reported to police, although it’s unclear how many people have ever been prosecuted as a result. Either way, the rise in abuse is incredibly disturbing, although it’s possible that some of this might be related to the fact that Openreach’s engineers are currently much more active and visible due to being in the peak phase of the operator’s national full fibre (FTTP) broadband roll-out.

According to The Guardian, telecoms providers recently joined 100 other utility firms, major retailers and transport providers in supporting an Open Letter from the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), which called on the UK government to amend its Crime and Policing Bill to better protect workers.

At present the bill does make it a standalone offence to assault a retail worker, but the ICS wants to see this being extended to “include all those in public-facing roles, not only those working in retail.” We support that proposal.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network operator PlatformX Communications (PXC), which is a trading name of UK provider TalkTalk that sells wholesale solutions to ISPs and other network providers, has recently been causing some frustration among their partners. The problem began after they attempted to set an early date for the withdrawal of SMPF based broadband products (shared unbundled lines).

Unlike fully unbundled copper lines (MPF – Metallic Path Facility), where ISPs installed kit in BT’s exchanges in order to gain more control over the service (inc. pricing etc.). Shared unbundled (SMPF) lines ultimately saw BT retain some control of the line rental (i.e. voice line), albeit while still affording internet and phone providers some benefits in price/cost etc.

BT and Openreach are currently working to withdraw their old copper-based analogue phone line services (i.e. PSTN phones and Wholesale Line Rental [WLR] products), which also includes some older broadband products. Many providers are currently working to the original Dec 2025 deadline to get customers off this network, although vulnerable users are supposed to have until 31st January 2027. But it’s not always quite that simple.

The above dates also apply to any broadband product (SMPF or FTTC) provided using a WLR PSTN line. But according to ISPreview’s sources, some of PXC’s partners were recently taken aback when they were informed that the company had decided to withdraw their SMPF line products by the end of July 2025; earlier than they had been expecting.

“The issues with this are that no one is able to provide alternative ADSL [legacy copper broadband] services in some of these areas due to the Copper Stop Sell, and the WLR withdrawal due December 2025,” said one of those impacted by the change.

Providers in this boat feared they would either see their SMPF broadband products cease (i.e. customers disconnected) or have to convert to fully unbundled lines (MPF) at short notice, which is a tricky thing to do (note: MPF will eventually go the way of the dodo too). The good news is that PXC has now decided to give providers a little more time to make the change, but only a little.

Extract from PXC’s Letter

Following our previous communications in April 2024 and May 2025, we’re writing to inform you that the stop serve date for selected SMPF circuits has been extended to 30th September 2025.

We understand that some Partners have faced challenges migrating services, so to support you, we’ve extended the deadline to give you additional time to help ensure a smoother transition.

If you haven’t yet migrated your affected circuits, please ensure they are moved to MPF, SOGEA, or FTTP immediately. The stop serve date is not expected to change.

Please ensure that any vulnerable end-users, particularly those relying on telecare or similar services, are identified and contacted to confirm their devices are compatible with the new digital infrastructure ahead of any migration.

We did ask TalkTalk/PXC to comment on this a couple of times, but despite acknowledging our messages, they did not provide a response.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

T-Mobile today announced that Fluid Conservation Systems (FCS), an industry leader in advanced leak detection technology, has selected T-Mobile to enhance cellular connectivity for its award-winning acoustic monitoring solutions. By leveraging T-Mobile for Business Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and America’s best mobile network, FCS provides water utilities nationwide with insights that conserve millions of gallons of treated drinking water annually, prevent costly infrastructure damage and significantly reduce operational costs.

Water infrastructure across the United States faces substantial challenges, including aging pipes and persistent leaks that often go unnoticed until they cause significant loss. Traditional leak detection methods often rely on visible evidence or random sampling, leading to inefficient maintenance practices and unnecessary disruptions. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, approximately 33.3 trillion gallons of water are lost annually due to deteriorating infrastructure. To put that into perspective, that is enough water to supply New York City’s usage for more than 91 years.

“Water utilities across the country struggle with aging infrastructure, hidden leaks, and limited resources,” said Beth Powell, President of Fluid Conservation Systems. “Our acoustic leak detectors, connected by T-Mobile, give utilities real-time data to accurately pinpoint leaks before they become costly problems. We’re essentially listening for leaks overnight, so our customers can wake up each morning knowing exactly where to focus their efforts.”

FCS pioneered acoustic leak correlation technology 40 years ago, fundamentally changing how leaks are detected and managed. Their loggers—essentially rugged, cellular-connected acoustic sensors—are attached non-invasively to external surfaces of clean water pipes. These loggers measure the noise emitted by water systems, identifying leaks based on unique acoustic signatures. This advanced monitoring is continuous, automated and highly precise—substantially reducing the need for costly manual inspections.

With reliable connectivity and IoT solutions from T-Mobile, FCS sensors can send critical data even from difficult-to-reach locations, such as mountainous or remote areas, helping to overcome traditional coverage limitations. Previously, detecting leaks required extensive manual labor with teams walking hydrant-to-hydrant using handheld ground microphones. Now, FCS can transmit acoustic data directly from sensors in the ground, enabling utilities to significantly reduce labor costs and quickly address leaks before they cause substantial damage.

In addition to efficiency and cost savings, FCS solutions have significant environmental benefits, helping prevent treated water from infiltrating natural ecosystems and damaging waterways.

Proudly made in America, their products have been recognized for their role in conserving vital water resources, including the Environmental Protection Award.

“FCS’s acoustic leak detection with T-Mobile sets a new standard in water management, proactively addressing leaks and conserving vital resources,” said George Fischer, SVP of Sales, T-Mobile Business Group. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to innovation, resilience, and protecting critical infrastructure nationwide.”

Keep up with all the latest telecoms news with the Total Telecom newsletter

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 London Court of Appeal has refused permission for Justin Le Patourel to appeal against an earlier dismissal (here) of his £1.3bn class action claim against BT via the Collective Action on Land Lines (CALL) campaign. The organisation had accused the broadband and phone provider of overcharging several million of its landline-only phone customers.

The latest decision this week follows a similar ruling by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) in February 2025, which found that the claim had no real prospect of success (here). The CAT followed this up in May 2025 by publishing a cost order, which required the Class Representative (Justin Le Patourel) to pay 85% of the Defendants’ (BT) costs – totalling £16.5m.

Just to recap. The campaign itself was first raised at the start of 2021 via UK law firm Mishcon de Reya, which was acting on behalf of an ex-Ofcom telecoms consultant, Justin Le Patourel. In theory, a victory for the campaign might have forced BT to pay out up to £1.3bn in compensation to customers, but in December 2024 the CAT ruled that “BT’s prices were not unfair, and therefore there was no abuse of dominant position”.

The judge stressed that “just because a price is excessive does not mean that it was also unfair“. The CAT took into account, first, that while BT’s prices were found to be excessive, they were also “radically less than the excess relied upon by [Justin Le Patourel]. This meant that the weight of the excess going forward into the unfairness analysis reduced.”

The court also considered that BT had provided “distinctive value” to its Standalone Fixed Voice (SFV) customers, such that its price “bore a reasonable relation to value“. Value here was found, not just in terms of particular features or “Gives” provided to the customers, but also in BT’s brand value as a whole.

A BT Group spokesperson said:

“Today, the Court of Appeal refused permission for Justin Le Patourel to appeal the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s judgment. We take our responsibilities to all of our customers very seriously and are pleased to see the courts dismiss this matter, bringing it to a resolution.”

Justin Le Patourel said he was “hugely disappointed” by the ruling.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Infracapital-backed alternative network operator Fibrus, which is rolling out their full fibre (FTTP) broadband network across Northern Ireland and Cumbria (England), has today announced that they’ve so far donated £57,805 to 32 community groups across Northern Ireland as part of their 2025 Community Fund.

Fibrus has so far extended their fibre optic lines to cover 410,000 premises (2nd May 2025) across the UK (inc. 113,500 customers connected to the network). At the same time they’ve also been investing to support a variety of rural community groups within the operator’s network patch as part of their community fund, which is working to help bridge the digital divide within some of those areas.

A range of NI based community focused organisations have received financial support from the fund this year – delivered in partnership with The Community Foundation N.I, including Sixtowns Cross Community Group, Newtownstewart Community Forum and Bannagh Community Project. Since launching in 2021, The Fibrus Community Fund has provided over £230,000 worth of funding to over 130 community groups spread across Northern Ireland, to support digital inclusion projects.

For example, one of the groups that significantly benefited from the latest round of funding is a Mid-Ulster based angling group, Moyola Angling Association. The group will use its £2,000 of funding to purchase three laptops for a community loan scheme and hold digital workshops with local schools in the area.

Linda McMillan, Chief People Officer at Fibrus, said:

“Fostering digital inclusion continues to be a priority for Fibrus, and we believe everyone should have access to essential digital services here in Northern Ireland and beyond.

This year, we were blown away by the number applications for The Fibrus Community Fund from so many outstanding local organisations dedicated to helping their communities. We are so proud to support their efforts and look forward to seeing how they use the funding to fuel their development.”

Learn more about the Community Fund Northern Ireland here.

Learn more about the Community Fund Cumbria here.