Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A new Point Topic study of all major standalone and bundled fixed broadband operators and their tariffs across the EU, UK, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland – reflecting a total of 31 countries and 200 operators – has revealed that the United Kingdom ranked a respectable 12th in the table (median average tariffs) and 4th for entry level package tariffs.

The report, which also compared the average subscription charges and corresponding bandwidths for different broadband technologies across Europe, presents the latest tariff benchmarks to the end of March 2025 and also compared them to the same sort of data gathered in December 2024. All prices are quoted in US dollars at PPP (purchasing power parity) rates.

The application of PPP is important because there can be huge differences between countries in terms of things like taxation, size of the state and monthly salaries (i.e. $1 will go many times further in some countries than others). But using PPP allows you to weight against this for a hopefully more balanced comparison.

Overall, older copper-based residential broadband tariffs were found to still be the cheapest ($51 PPP or £41), but on the flip side they also offered the lowest average download speed of 22Mbps, which is up from the previous quarter’s 16Mbps. This helps to underline the importance of “value” to what you pay, which doesn’t really come across all that much in the ranking table itself.

The average monthly tariffs for cable-based (hybrid fibre coax) technologies increased by 2.7% to $65 PPP (£48) up from $63 PPP (£47) at the end of 2024. Fibre-based tariffs (FTTP/B) remained the most expensive of the technology accesses, yet its cost was relatively static at $69 PPP (£51) and you will of course get significantly faster speeds via full fibre lines.

Average cable-based tariff speeds dropped by nearly 11% to reach 544Mbps, although it’s worth noting that many of those providers (e.g. Virgin Media) are in the process of upgrading to faster full fibre networks. Speaking of which, full fibre-based tariffs offered the highest average download speed at 725Mbps, up ever so slightly from 724Mbps in the previous quarter.

However, as hinted above with that mention of “value“, it’s incredibly difficult to produce a true apples-to-apples price comparison between countries and packages because of how much each package can vary in terms of its various service features (e.g. the quality of router bundled, setup/install charges, service speeds, static or dynamic IP addresses, special offers/discounts etc.).

Suffice to say that a table like this can’t reflect everything, although Romania is clearly the country to go for the cheapest fixed broadband tariffs, while Norway and Iceland are currently competing to be the most expensive countries.

ISPreview took a quick look at one ISP in Romania called Digi, which appears to be offering a gigabit (1Gbps) package for a standard price of 80 LEI (excluding discounts), which works out as just £13.25 per month. By comparison, the large Norwegian ISP Altibox appears to be offering the same broadband speed for the equivalent of around £100 per month.

Similar gigabit packages in the UK tend to hover around the £40-£50 mark, albeit with a few networks being a lot cheaper and some being a lot more expensive.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Broadband and mobile operator Virgin Media and O2 (VMO2) has today announced a new partnership with debt advice firm Money Wellness, which aims to improve the support they’re able to offer to “financially vulnerable customers” who many be experiencing financial difficulties.

The partnership will see the new service first being rolled out to the team that handles the most complex payment management-related issues. As part of this, Money Wellness will send advisors to spend the day with the O2 team on the first day, and the two companies will continue to work closely together ahead of a wider rollout, including for Virgin Media customers, over the weeks that follow.

The bespoke training that VMO2’s agents receive should enable them to better spot signs of potential vulnerability (aka – “Money MOT“). Customers who are identified as experiencing such issues may then be either transferred directly to a Money Wellness expert who can provide specialist help (at a time of their choosing) or will be sent a secure link to begin a support journey online.

Through Money Wellness, VMO2 hopes that related customers will benefit from tailored advice and support that extends beyond their mobile or broadband contract – for example a comprehensive financial health check, support with maximising their income, or budgeting etc. The service is also designed to be used by those who suffer from speech, sight, language and hearing difficulties.

Alan Stott, Director of Customer Contact at VMO2, said:

“We know that many families have been struggling with the rising cost of living over recent years, and our agents can sometimes find themselves speaking with customers struggling to pay their bills.

We’re committed to helping and supporting all of our customers, including reviewing payment options and signposting customers to debt charities, but we know this still places the onus on the customer to seek help. Now, through this new partnership, our agents can better identify and support customers, including by offering a warm transfer direct to a Money Wellness advisor who can provide more comprehensive support that goes beyond just their mobile or broadband bill.”

We should point out that all of this is on top of the support that VMO2 already offers, which includes a range of low-cost social tariffs across mobile and broadband, providing free mobile connectivity through the National Databank, supporting customers to set up flexible payment plans (where appropriate), signposting customers to charities who may be able to help, zero-rating a number of debt charities and ensuring vulnerable customers are exempt from price hikes.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A Japanese team has today set a new world record for long-distance high-capacity transmission in optical fibre communications, which saw them achieve a data speed of 1.02Pbps (Petabits per second) over a distance of 1,808 km using a 19-core optical fibre cable with a standard 0.125mm cladding diameter.

The feat was achieved by a joint team of researchers from Sumitomo Electric Industries and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NIICT) in Japan. Sumitomo was responsible for the design and manufacture of a coupled 19-core optical fibre that features a standard cladding diameter, achieving a reduction in optical fibre losses across multiple wavelength ranges (the C-band and the L-band) by optimizing the structure and arrangement of the cores.

Meanwhile, NICT was responsible for building a transmission system that maximizes the performance of the fibre, as well as developing and demonstrating an optical amplification relay function capable of simultaneously amplifying signals from all 19 cores.

Faster data transmission speeds have of course been achieved before, using the same wavelength bands (C and L). The same team managed to hit a data rate of 1.7Pbps back in March 2023, but that was over a distance of just 63.7km, and the new achievement smashes that distance into the ground.

The new record pushes this technology closer to the realm of practical and economic viability for long-range optical communications, which could be used to upgrade existing links between countries (i.e. easily growing capacity as demand rises). But it’s worth noting that longer subsea fibres, such as those that run from Cornwall in England to New York in the USA (3,292 miles or 5298 km) would of course deliver slower, albeit still impressive, speeds.

Just to be clear. The World Record claim reflects that “capacity-distance product” (1.86 exabits per second – km) measurement when using a standard cladding diameter optical fibre, although given the pace of improvement in this field it probably won’t stand for long.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

INDIANAPOLIS (May 28, 2025) – Comcast announced the kickoff of construction of its next-generation network in Fayette, Rush, Delaware, Boone, Shelby, Morgan and Miami counties. Upon completion, more than 10,000 residents and businesses will have access to the full suite of Xfinity and Comcast Business services, including built-in cybersecurity, affordable Internet plans, and a robust video offering spanning TV and streaming.

The multi-million-dollar joint investment is the latest from Comcast in partnership with the State of Indiana’s Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program, which has invested $350 million toward improving broadband access and adoption in the state.

“We are working to ensure that every Hoosier has access to high-speed, reliable, affordable broadband,” said Steve Cox, Indiana’s Chief Broadband Officer. “Connecting every corner of our state will provide economic mobility and connect residents and businesses to a better quality of life. With this partnership, Comcast is helping us make that happen.”

Overall, Comcast has invested more than $80 billion in the last 10 years to grow and evolve its expansive fiber-rich network across the company’s service footprint nationwide, including nearly $600 million the company has invested in its network in Indiana over the last three years.

“Comcast is proud to continue its commitment to rural Hoosiers by kicking off construction work and ensuring even more homes have access to faster and more reliable Internet,” said Joni Hart, vice president of Government Affairs for Comcast Indiana. “Through our network that delivers 99.9% reliability, residents can participate in services like e-learning, utilize healthcare online, and rely on broadband access in their communities.”

Comcast’s more than 49,000 miles of fiber-rich network infrastructure across Indiana allows the company to offer Internet speeds faster than a gigabit to residential and business customers in its service footprint. In addition, Comcast has more than 65,500 WiFi hotspots in Indiana and more than 23 million nationwide.

A Network You Can Trust to be Reliable, Fast and Secure
Comcast’s state-of-the-art network is built to enable residents and businesses to thrive in today’s constantly connected world. Additional homes in Fayette, Rush, Delaware, Boone, Shelby, Morgan and Miami counties join 64 million homes and businesses across the country to have access to a network that is trusted by essential community organizations like hospitals, schools, transportation systems and first responders. It delivers multi-gigabit Internet speeds, 99.9 percent reliability and security built in from the ground up to keep customers safe from cyber threats.

Introducing Xfinity for Consumers
Comcast’s residential services are marketed under the Xfinity and NOW brands and consumers in the company’s Indiana footprint can take advantage of Xfinity’s and NOW’s full suite of products, including Internet, video, mobile, voice and home security. With multi-gigabit Internet speeds, powerful WiFi that reaches every corner of the home, and super-responsive connections with low lag available with its plan, customers have a great experience using their connected devices to stream their favorite sports and entertainment content, video chat with coworkers and friends, learn from home or simply surf the web.

For local businesses, Comcast Business offers a suite of connectivity, communications, networking, cybersecurity, and managed solutions to help organizations of all sizes achieve their business goals. Industry analysts and associations have consistently recognized Comcast Business as a leader and innovator in flexible, scalable options as well as one of the fastest-growing providers of Ethernet services.

What it Means for Residents
Comcast’s commitment to communities goes beyond building the network and aims to increase economic mobility for the local community and its residents. That’s why Comcast created Internet Essentials, a broadband adoption program that offers eligible households low-cost, high-speed Internet and affordable computers. The program has helped more than 772,000 Indiana residents connect to the Internet since its launch in 2011.

# # #

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit http://www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About Comcast Indiana
With more than 1,100 local employees, Comcast Indiana (https://indiana.comcast.com/) has served customers in Indiana for more than four decades. In the last three years, we’ve invested more than $1.3 billion in Indiana, including capital expenditures, employee wages and benefits, taxes, charitable giving, and infrastructure upgrades. “Like” Comcast Indiana on Facebook by visiting @Comcast. “Follow” Comcast Indiana on X at @ComcastIN.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Startup Stories

Summarise your business in one sentence: 

A local, open-source hardware and software company building smart home and environmental sensors that prioritise privacy, performance, and community-driven innovation.  

Introduce your startup: 

Apollo Automation designs and manufactures smart IoT sensors for home automation, including motion, air quality, and plant health monitoring devices. Our sensors are open-source, fully local (no cloud required), and integrate seamlessly with platforms like Home Assistant and Homey. We aim to make reliable, privacy-respecting smart home technology accessible to everyone while keeping production and innovation rooted in the USA. 

What was your inspiration for founding the company? 

We started Apollo out of frustration with the lack of high-quality, transparent, and locally made sensors on the market. What began as a weekend hobby project quickly gained traction in the open-source community. After seeing the response, we decided to take the leap full time and build a company focused on doing things differently. 

Tell us about your business’s journey so far. What have been the biggest challenges and biggest successes? 

Apollo began in a small workshop in Kentucky in 2023 and has since grown into a full-fledged operation with multiple product lines and a global customer base. Our biggest challenge has been scaling manufacturing while staying local and transparent. Our biggest success has been building a passionate community of users and contributors who genuinely care about our mission and help shape our products.

What does the future hold for your business? Where do you see the company a year from now? 

We’re continuing to grow our product lineup and expand into commercial and industrial sensing. In a year, we see Apollo Automation as a recognised name in privacy-first smart sensors and a trusted partner for integrators and builders looking for flexible and local alternatives to cloud-dependent solutions. 

What are you most looking forward to about exhibiting at Broadband Communities Summit? 

We’re excited to connect with others who are building the future of connected spaces. We look forward to sharing what we’ve built, learning from other innovators, and exploring opportunities to bring our sensors into broader commercial and residential use cases. 

HQ location: Versailles, Kentucky, USA 

Number of employees: 6 (4 full-time, 2 part-time) 

Funding situation: Bootstrapped 

URL: https://apolloautomation.com 

Founders: Justin Bunton, Trevor Schirmer 

LinkedIn Address: https://www.linkedin.com/company/102172757 

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

In recent years, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure like transportation, energy, and communications have escalated across Europe—and Germany is no stranger to the sabotage. That’s why government ministries and businesses alike have made protecting essential infrastructure a top priority. To this end, upstart telecommunications service provider OneFiber Interconnect Germany is building a 1.6 Tb/s fiber network (‘Active-Network’) for highly secure digital connectivity in Germany—and is utilizing Ciena’s optical networking technology to provide high-speed data transmission services.

To provide this high level of performance, OneFiber is leveraging Ciena’s industry-leading WaveLogic 6 Extreme, which offers unparalleled bandwidth capacity to meet increasing digital demands. 

Security-minded innovation: OneFiber’s campus network

At the Bahn-Technologie-Campus (BTC) Havelland near Berlin, OneFiber operates a state-of-the-art campus network, powered by Ciena, which enables its large enterprise and administrative/government customers to develop and test their solutions in a real-world traffic environment. Within this setting, OneFiber’s customers can tailor solutions for diverse applications and validate their products and components under realistic conditions, proactively identifying and addressing any shortcomings or potential vulnerabilities.

Crucially, OneFiber’s high-performance campus network provides an ideal platform for users to conduct in-depth security analysis and explore enhanced data security measures using the latest technologies—including quantum key distribution (QKD)—to mitigate the threat that quantum computing poses to today’s cryptography. Ciena’s Waveserver platform offers proven 800 Gb/s optical encryption capabilities and supports standard open APIs to communicate with any external QKD system, making it possible for OneFiber to ensure confidentiality of its customers’ sensitive data across the network. 

On the fast track: Driving digital transformation alongside nationwide carrier lines

OneFiber is in the process of deploying a highly agile and resilient fiber-optic network that spans more than 5,500km and encompasses up to 300 access points. This network will provide gigabit services through a comprehensive range of options, including spectrum, 10 Gb/s–1.6 Tb/s wavelengths, and up to 800 gigabit Ethernet in an open access model. Notably, the network leverages Ciena’s programmable photonics to address ever-increasing bandwidth demands with the ability to double fiber capacity by supporting wavelengths across the C- and L-bands.

A solid foundation

OneFiber’s network is supported in the access by Ciena’s Coherent Routing solution, including the 5000 and 8000 families of routers and WaveLogic 5 Nano 100G–400G coherent pluggable transceivers. With this converged IP/optical solution, OneFiber benefits from simplified multi-layer operations, dynamic scalability, and unmatched sustainability.

Thoughts from OneFiber’s CEO

Remarking on the collaboration, OneFiber’s CEO Kay Euler said, “Our work with Ciena represents a significant milestone in our commitment to securing Germany’s critical infrastructure. By leveraging Ciena’s innovative technology, we are empowering our customers with the highest levels of network performance, reliability, and data security—attributes especially important to our government agencies.” 

“Together, we are driving digital transformation and enabling a new era of secure and resilient connectivity in the country.” 

To learn more about OneFiber, visit: https://onefiber.de/

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Leading engineering services specialist, Ipsum, has been appointed to a nationwide contract for the maintenance and repair of street furniture. This agreement extends a partnership with Openreach that has been in place for nearly 25 years.

Drawing on its extensive experience in infrastructure services, Ipsum will deliver maintenance services to ensure the safety, functionality, and aesthetic of street furniture across the UK. This includes critical components such as locks, hinges, doors and pillars.

Ipsum has a network of strategic locations across the UK, and is well-positioned to mobilise its teams quickly. This ensures timely maintenance of the assets, so that the work can be delivered at the right time, with reduced impact to the local community.

The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to service excellence and customer satisfaction. Ipsum has consistently delivered robust infrastructure solutions such as grounds maintenance, vegetation management, and site clearance.

Ipsum’s Operations Director, Daniel Alexander, commented, “We’re proud to have been awarded the nationwide contract for the maintenance and repair of street furniture by Openreach. This contract highlights our commitment to service excellence and customer satisfaction. Our proven model combines comprehensive maintenance services to ensure the safety, functionality, and resilience of street furniture, benefiting local communities nationwide.”

Openreach’s Director Partner Management, Sam Perrin, commented, “Ipsum is an important provider of specialist engineering services for Openreach, and they richly deserve this new award. Our strategic relationship goes from strength to strength.”

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News 

Vodafone Qatar has signed a new deal with Nokia to overhaul its mobile network, aiming to deliver faster, more secure and more flexible 5G services across the country. 

Under the agreement, Nokia will provide end-to-end kit to boost network capacity, cut latency, and speed up the rollout of new features. The upgrade will also introduce more automation and improved security, Vodafone said. 

Qatar’s ICT sector is expected to grow 8.5% annually through to 2030, and Vodafone confirmed that the move will help it keep pace with rising demand for high-speed connectivity. 

The partnership will also pave the way for next-generation services such as 5G slicing for enterprise, and more intelligent broadband access, with a future-proof infrastructure built to support ongoing digital innovation. 

“Our work with Nokia will enable us to become more agile and responsive to the evolving needs of customers and businesses. By integrating advanced fibre, mobile, and cloud capabilities, we are shaping a smarter, more secure network that can support everything from customised home Wi-Fi to the latest enterprise technologies,” said Sheikh Hamad Abdulla Jassim Al-Thani, CEO of Vodafone Qatar, in a press release. 

“Through more flexible scaling, reliability, and near zero-touch automation that our advanced core and broadband solutions deliver, Nokia will provide greater network agility and service offerings, and provide our partner with all the tools it needs to efficiently manage its network assets,” echoed Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia. 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to our newsletter 

Also in the news:
FullFibre withdraws from Project Gigabit contracts
UK data centre expansion sparks net zero concerns
SWR deploys Europe’s first ’Rail-5G’ Wi-Fi

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

A little over a month has passed since internet provider Lit Fibre, which harnesses CityFibre’s UK full fibre (FTTP) network (they originally ran their own fibre network – here), introduced a range of new “specialised” packages. But they’ve now significantly cut the prices of those same plans “due to market demand“.

The packages concerned include ‘Lit Ultimate’, ‘Lit Homeworker’, ‘Lit Family’, ‘Lit Gamer’ and ‘Lit One’ (we couldn’t find any details for ‘Lit One’, but it was in the announcement), which complement their existing range of speed-based broadband plans. All of these packages include, by default, symmetric speeds, free installation, a wireless router (the models vary) and a pledge of “no mid-contract price hikes“.

However, on top of the above, the packages also add various extras, such as a superior router (Lit Hub or Lit Hub Pro), Wi-Fi extenders, an internet security service, parental controls and also “boost device control“ (we’re still not sure what this actually is). In addition, you also get a choice of 12, 18 or 24-month minimum term contracts (we’ve used the 24-month packages in our example below).

But the above extras do vary a bit between the packages. For example, LIT Homeworker and LIT Family are the same price and speed, but they differ in that Homeworker includes “boost device control“, Family swaps this for parental controls.

One slight oddity with this announcement is that the “Previous” pricing figures appear to be incorrect. For example, LIT Family launched in April at £34.49 pm per month (here) and not £44.95 as stated by the ISP below (it’s possible some pricing may vary by location), but otherwise the new pricing is still much more attractive and competitive.

Initially, we also noted that the top speed of Lit Fibre’s Ultimate package had seen its 1Gbps speed boosted to 2.4Gbps at the same price, although this change appeared to have been reversed just before we published the article. So don’t be surprised if that change returns in the near future, which probably reflects CityFibre’s new XGS-PON upgrade.

LitFibre’s 24-Month Usage Packages

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network operator CityFibre, which have so far built their 2.5Gbps speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network to cover 4.4 million UK premises (4.2m Ready for Service), has today confirmed the completion of their “primary” £58 million build across the large Berkshire (England) town of Reading – including some of its surrounding areas.

CityFibre originally started this deployment back in late 2020, supported by civil engineering contractor Instalcom. The operator’s new network has since laid 1,230km of dense full fibre and is now ready for service to over 97,000 homes, covering around 98% of homes and most businesses in the town and its surrounding areas.

While the primary-build is now complete, CityFibre said they would continue to explore opportunities to connect more homes and businesses, including flats, new-build homes, business parks and homes on private roads.

Neil Madle, Partnership Manager at CityFibre, said:

“Thriving towns like Reading stand to gain significantly from next-generation digital infrastructure, unlocking new growth and opportunities. Connectivity continues to play a vital role for residents, businesses and public services. With our full fibre network, Reading will enhance its resilience and futureproof its infrastructure, creating value for residents and businesses alike.”

The operator’s main gigabit-capable broadband rivals in the town are naturally Openreach and Virgin Media (inc. nexfibre), which both have good coverage of the area. But a number of alternative networks also have some modest to tiny levels of coverage across the town, including 4th Utility, OFNL (inc. Fibrenest), Glide, Grain and Hyperoptic etc.

CityFibre, which has so far attracted 550,000 (March 2025) live customers and expects to have upgraded their entire network to 10Gbps capable XGS-PON technology by mid-2025 (here), currently still aspires to cover up to 8 million UK premises with their new full fibre network (funded by c.£2.4bn in equity, c.£4.9bn debt and nearly £1bn of BDUK / public subsidy) – representing c.30% of the UK. But quite when they’ll reach that point is unclear.