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Scottish train operator ScotRail has today announced that they’ve launched a new 6-month trial alongside communications provider Clarus Networks, which will extend their Starlink (satellite) based broadband upgrade of onboard WiFi – this is to include six class 158 trains that travel along their Highlands routes in Scotland.

In case anybody has forgotten, ScotRail and Clarus Networks have been developing a solution to harness Starlink’s network of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for over a year (here). The setup was previously shown as being able to deliver low latency (~40ms) and download speeds up to 220Mbps while in-motion (this of course needs to be shared between multiple users).

The latest announcement reveals that six Class 158 trains, which will be in service in the north of Scotland from Inverness to Wick, Thurso, Kyle of Lochalsh, and Aberdeen, have been fitted with this equipment as part of another six-month trial.

The new trial is being supported by the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), and the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT).

Benefits of the Service (ScotRail)

➤ Improved customer Wi-Fi service.

➤ Wi-Fi calling capabilities for customers and staff.

➤ GPS tracking of trains to enable joined-up public transport journeys.

➤ Live on-board CCTV access and download.

➤ Improved on-train journey information for customers.

Customers will know they are on an upgraded train when they see the on-train stickers and signage, and will also notice a new upgraded on-train Wi-Fi landing page when they connect.

Scott Prentice, ScotRail Strategy and Planning Director, said:

“The launch of this trial is fantastic news for our customers using services in the north of the country, and will have a very positive impact on their journey experience.

There has been a lot of hard work by our staff and our partner, Clarus Networks, to get to this point, and I am looking forward to seeing how customers interact with the new technology on our trains.

The project addresses the long-standing challenges we’ve had for train connectivity in the region, and we hope it will lead to a future roll-out of the technology across other rural routes in Scotland.”

The expectation is that this trial, if successful (seems likely), could lead to the roll-out of the technology across the remaining class 158 trains in the ScotRail fleet, which would cover other rural lines including the West Highlands, Stranraer, Dumfries and the Borders.

The outcome may also influence the inclusion of this technology in the procurement of new fleets and new trains in the future.

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Low-cost mobile provider iD Mobile (Currys), which harnesses Three UK’s national 4G and 5G network via a virtual operator (MVNO) partnership, has today moved to help mark its 10th anniversary by launching a new customer rewards platform called ‘iD Perks‘ – offering various discounts from household names like Disney, Booking.com, Morrisons and The AA etc.

The operator, which over the past 10-years has grown to serve more than 2.1 million customers (up from 2m in Nov 2024), notes that almost 50,000 of their customers have stayed with them for 9 years or more. Suffice to say that iD Mobile appears to be keen to reward existing customers with iD Perks.

The new loyalty scheme is promising to deliver hundreds of deals and discounts across top brands, including Booking.com, The AA, Morrisons and Disney, as well as special iD Mobile anniversary offers, such as discounts on select purchases and bonus perks. The operator indicates that their connection to Currys may also give it a “unique edge” in this area.

Rohit Vedi, MD of iD Mobile, said:

“As we celebrate 10 years of iD Mobile, we’re incredibly proud of just how far we’ve come. Surpassing 2 million subscriptions and earning accolades and recognition from trusted voices like Which?, uSwitch, and Martin Lewis truly reflects the hard work of our brilliant team and the strong brand we’ve built over the last decade.

Reaching this significant anniversary is a fantastic milestone and it’s been inspiring to see iD Mobile become a trusted provider for millions.

But while we’re proud of what we’ve achieved, we’re even more excited about what’s ahead – continuing to deliver even better deals, innovative features and new ways to give back to our customers, starting with our new loyalty platform, iD Perks!”

At present, iD Mobile’s website is already running various 10th anniversary offers, including getting up to 10x the data on selected phone and SIM-only plans until the 5th June, and promoting the ability to win up to £1000 worth of Currys gift cards. But today’s announcement doesn’t make it completely clear how you access the other iD Perks promotions, although we assume it may come via their mobile apps for iOS (iPhone etc.) and Android.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The business division of broadband and mobile giant Virgin Media and O2 – VMO2 Business – has this morning announced plans to merge their complementary direct B2B operations with those of the Daisy Group, which aims to “create a major new force in the UK business communications and IT sector” via a new entity.

Breaking news.. more to follow..

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Industry trade body Mobile UK, which represents Three UK, EE, O2 and Vodafone, will today publish a new report from Assembly Research that once again calls on the government to “secure the UK’s economic growth goals and maintain its competitive standing” by supporting their wish list of demands to help boost the roll-out and coverage of mobile networks (4G, 5G etc.).

The current government previously made clear that they would be making a “renewed push to fulfil the ambition of full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030” (here). Naturally, broadband and mobile operators have not been shy about producing their own wish lists for what this could mean (here, here, here and here), which for mobile operators has often been reflected in calls for a more flexible planning system, lower licence fees for radio spectrum and easier engagement with local authorities.

However, the story so far has been one of disappointment, at least for the mobile operators. Despite their lobbying, the government’s new Planning and Infrastructure Bill (PIB), introduced on 11th March 2025, and Autumn Budget, largely seemed to ignore mobile networks, preferring instead to focus on other sectors, such as energy, housing and transport.

Meanwhile, reports from earlier this year (here) also appeared to indicate that the government might be looking to cut some of its £501m of support for the £1bn industry-led Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme and its efforts to extend 4G coverage into remote rural areas. But the exact outcome of those discussions remains unclear.

Suffice to say that the new report – ‘Mobile Infrastructure Investment: The UK’s Route to Growth‘, commissioned by Mobile UK and conducted by Assembly Research, marks another attempt by mobile operators to have the government recognise their impact on the economy (it claims that every £1 invested can generate £5 for the wider economy) and “take immediate action to stimulate increased investment“. This includes the usual batch of familiar recommendations.

Key Recommendations by Mobile Operators

While the Government has successfully incentivised private sector investment in the fixed broadband market, Mobile UK asserts that a similar policy focus is now essential for mobile infrastructure.

The Assembly Research report identifies crucial areas where government intervention will significantly boost investment and benefit the economy, including:

➤ Repurposing ALFs [annual licence fees] to improve mobile coverage and capacity.

➤ Revising planning rules to facilitate network deployments.

➤ Implementing the PSTI Act now and in full.

➤ Introducing a business rates holiday on new mobile infrastructure.

➤ Evolving the UK’s net neutrality regime.

➤ Supporting operators’ plans to switch off 2G services.

➤ Appointing digital champions to help expedite 5G rollouts.

➤ Tackling not-spots via the Shared Rural Network programme.

The operators appear to be hoping that they can encourage the government to address these “missed opportunities” via the upcoming Spending Review and Infrastructure Strategy.

Hamish MacLeod, Chief Executive of Mobile UK, said:

“The Government has rightly identified growth as its top priority and called on the UK’s telecoms industry to help strengthen the economy. Now, it’s crucial for the Government to prioritise mobile infrastructure, enabling operators to accelerate investment in coverage and capacity.

This will be fundamental to underpinning growth and fostering innovation throughout the UK economy, and the upcoming Spending Review and Infrastructure Strategy are key moments to demonstrate this commitment.”

The government has so far talked up a big game around areas like planning reform, although they’ve also suffered somewhat of a public backlash to recent tax rises and other changes that could make them even more risk-averse than usual. This is a problem because mobile infrastructure has always been a bit of a hot potato, with many people often objecting to the construction of new mobile masts and related kit, despite their importance.

We’d be surprised if the forthcoming Spending Review delivered many big changes for the operators, although it would be equally surprising if the future Infrastructure Strategy overlooked the sector. Some of the things that the new report desires also stray into tedious areas like Net Neutrality (i.e. measures to prevent serious blocking or slowing of access to legal websites / internet services), which can be very divisive topics and has only recently been reviewed by the regulator.

Elsewhere, Ofcom are currently looking to reduce Annual Licence Fees (ALF) in some radio spectrum bands, albeit not by as much as mobile operators really want (here) and it remains to be seen whether the government might encourage the regulator to opt for a more radical change.

The reality is that mobile operators probably won’t get everything on their wish list. But it currently remains unclear whether they’ll get anything substantive at all. This is despite the importance many of us place on our ability to access a good quality mobile and data service.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo), which is the industry-led organisation responsible for helping to deliver Ofcom’s solution (One Touch Switching) for easier and quicker UK consumer switching between broadband and phone providers on different networks, has successfully completed 1 million service migrations since its launch on 12th September 2024.

The OTS system remains a Gaining Provider Led (GPL) process, where the customer contacts their new (“gaining“) ISP to start and manage the process on their behalf. But despite a bit of a bumpy start, which we won’t recap today, this has now been widely adopted by the vast majority of consumer facing ISPs.

On the flip side, some smaller ISPs continue to lag behind on their adoption, which is causing problems for consumers who wish to escape or even join those same providers (Ofcom has yet to take any solid action against this). In addition, TOTSCo’s messaging platform, including the systems that some ISPs have put in place for engaging with it, remains somewhat of an imperfect animal where bugs and problems can still obstruct or delay switches.

“The OTS process is now well established, and we’re seeing the positive results of our combined efforts,” said Paul Bradbury, CEO of TOTSCo. “As providers and [Managed Access Providers (MAPs)] have become more familiar with OTS, we’ve noticed a significant reduction in issues and enquiries while the overall match-rate has risen gradually since go-live from 60% to a current value of around 67%. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the process and the collective commitment across industry to continuous improvement.”

Despite the issues, it’s pleasing to see the 1 million switches milestone being achieved (up from 920,000 on 25th April – just two weeks ago, or about 40k per week) and this also provides a solid figure for the level of actual consumer switching that is taking place between broadband ISPs in the UK market. The figure is many times lower than the artificially inflated claims about switching that we often see from those flaky opinion-based consumer surveys.

The TOTSCo platform is now switching (no pun intended) its focus toward the development of a switching solution for business connections and providers (details), which is occurring alongside the separate Gaining Provider Led Business (GPLB) Switching Industry Process (here). The first connection testing for this is still due to get underway at the end of this month, with the goal then being to then go live with a viable service in “early 2026“.

The difficulty is that business connectivity is a much more challenging, diverse and complex field, where the sort of problems that ISPs have encountered with consumer switching is less likely to be well tolerated. But to be clear, while business providers are still required to follow most of the same OTS rules (i.e. Ofcom simply have not specified what the process should be for such ISPs), there is no requirement for any ISP to use TOTSCo’s own business switching solution (once it exists) and business switching is considered a competitive market. In practice, many will probably still end up using TOTSCo’s platform.

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Internet, mobile and phone provider Vodafone UK appears to have quietly introduced a new range of fixed line “Pro 3 Broadband” packages, which feature their “all new” Ultra Hub 7 Fibre router and Super WiFi 7 Booster. The headline change here is reflected in the fact that this kit supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 networking standard for faster speeds.

Just to recap. Last year saw Vodafone introduced a new range of Wi-Fi 6 / 6E capable routers and extenders – the ‘Power Hub‘ router and ‘Super Wi-Fi 6 Booster‘ (here), which both harness Wi-Fi 6 technology. The Power Hub router is today the default device they offer, but until now you could also pay a bit more to get their Pro II packages that included their Wi-Fi 6E capable UltraHub (here).

The provider’s Pro packages also typically include additional features, such as a Super WiFi Booster for the “fastest WiFi in every room“, dedicated WiFi Xperts for daily support (i.e. proactively monitor and fix WiFi issues), automatic 4G back-up (dongle/modem) if your fixed broadband service goes down and Secure Net Home for “hassle-free [internet] security and family controls“.

However, back in October 2024 ISPreview spotted that Vodafone were preparing to launch a new range of Wi-Fi 7 capable routers and wireless mesh extenders for their fixed line customers in 2025 (here), which included the Ultra Hub 7 Fibre (FG4278VF), Super Wi-Fi 7 (RP761BVDF) and Ultra HUB7 (DG4278VF). The good news is that these have now quietly started to turn up under their new Pro 3 packages.

The new Wi-Fi 7 kit and other Pro 3 extras will typically set new customers back an extra £9 to £13.50 per month on top of the standard package pricing, which oddly seems to vary between their packages. For example, if you take out their CityFibre powered 82Mbps service, it normally starts at £23.50 per month or £36.50 to get Pro 3 (+£13). By comparison, if you take their 910Mbps package the price starts at £29 or £38 with Pro 3 (+£9).

At the time of writing, Vodafone has yet to put out an official press release, and we don’t have any spec sheets for the new devices. But after a bit of digging, we did uncover that the new Ultra Hub 7 router features 2 x 2.5G LAN ports (one is both WAN and LAN), as well as 2 x Gigabit LAN ports (speed unclear), 2 x telephone ports and 1 x USB port (intended for their 4G backup). Not to mention the usual lights and buttons (power, wps etc.).

The device also features a separate WiFi button, although we’re not sure if this is purely an on-off feature or something else. Vodafone said their Ultra Hub 7 Fibre router will be supported with security updates until 1st August 2032. We hope to have some official information after the weekend.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News

The three-year plan will see new telecoms equipment deployed at over 4,600 locations

This week, the US Department of Transport (DOT) has announced a new plan to upgrade the nation’s ‘antiquated’ air traffic control infrastructure.

The three-year ‘Brand New Air Traffic Control System Plan’ will includes upgrades throughout the system, from new hardware and software to the construction of six new air traffic control centres.

“Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age. Building this new system is an economic and national security necessity, and the time to fix it is now,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a statement.

The update will also include a major revamp of the system’s telecoms infrastructure, including “new fiber, wireless and satellite technologies at over 4,600 sites, 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches”.

The financial requirements for such an upgrade were not formally announced, but Duffy said that “billions” would be required from Congress to complete the project.

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news with the Total Telecom newsletter

Also in the news:
Germany appoints first ever digital minister
Signify and Cornerstone to deploy city-wide multi-operator wireless network through street lighting
BT opens new flagship Manchester office

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

BT has appointed Peter Leukert to the role of Chief Digital Officer, in which he will have responsibility for leading BT’s Digital unit and driving the company’s digital transformation.

Peter is currently Group Chief Information Officer at Deutsche Telekom and will join BT on 1 September this year and be a member of the Executive Committee, reporting to Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive.

BT’s Digital unit is at the heart of the company’s modernisation and transformation. It plays a critical role in the bold customer experience-led transformation underway, as we radically digitalise and simplify our internal and customer-facing systems and processes to be better for all our stakeholders. Our Digital unit is also a catalyst for digital thinking, and in how we embed data and AI in everything we do, in order for us to become the most trusted connector of people, business and society.

Peter has been Group Chief Information Officer at Deutsche Telecom (DT) since 2017 where he has led a significant and successful transformation of their IT and Digital platforms, products and services, and been a key contributor to the customer experience led transformation that has fuelled DT’s recent growth. He has held previous roles at McKinsey & Co, Commerzbank and the New York Stock Exchange in Germany and the US.

Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive, BT, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Peter to BT. He joins the business at an exciting time as we focus on simultaneously investing in the UK’s leading fixed and mobile networks while transforming our operations to radically improve how we serve our customers.

Peter Leukert said: “I’m thrilled to be joining BT. The opportunity to transform and simplify BT’s operations will improve customer outcomes and drive sustainable business growth, and I am really excited to get started.”

Until Peter joins BT in September, Howard Watson will continue to lead the Digital Unit alongside his responsibilities as Chief Networks and Security Officer.

Join the telecoms ecosystem in discussion at Connected Britain 2025, the UK’s leading digital economy event

Also in the news:
Germany appoints first ever digital minister
Signify and Cornerstone to deploy city-wide multi-operator wireless network through street lighting
BT opens new flagship Manchester office

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Edinburgh-based alternative network and UK ISP GoFibre, which has been building their new full fibre (FTTP) gigabit broadband network across rural parts of Scotland and Northern England, have confirmed that their deployment in the Scottish town of Montrose has connected its 1,000th customer.

The operator has so far managed to build their network to cover over 120,000 premises (RFS) across over 30 “local areas”. But to celebrate the latest milestone in Montrose they’ve teamed-up with local ice cream shop, Scoops of Moo, for a special community event on Saturday, 17th May.

From 1pm to 3:30pm, local residents and businesses will be invited to experience the full flavour of full fibre at Scoops of Moo in the heart of Montrose. During this time, guests can meet the GoFibre team to learn more about the benefits of ultra-fast full fibre broadband. But only the first 20 guests through the door to register their interest with the Scottish broadband provider via online sign-up will be able to enjoy a complimentary ice cream or treat of their choice.

However, everyone who purchases one of the special GoFibre ice creams over the weekend will still be gifted a pair of “stylish” GoFibre sunglasses, which is.. something.

Andy Hepburn, COO of GoFibre, said:

“Reaching the milestone of 1,000 customers in Montrose is more than just a number to us – it’s a testament to the trust and support we’ve received from the local community.

This event is our way of saying a big thank you to everyone in Montrose and surrounding areas who have welcomed us with open arms and chosen GoFibre. We’re excited for what the future holds and look forward to connecting with more of you as we continue to grow.”

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News

The proposed changes aim at promoting European innovation and competitiveness on the global stage

This week, the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the bloc’s longstanding merger rules, which it is hoped will encourage investment and innovation.

The review relates to the horizontal merger guidelines (HMG), which governs mergers between actual or potential competitors in the same market, as well as those that operate at different levels of the supply chain.

Seven key topics were listed as a focus of the review: competitiveness and resilience, market power, innovation, decarbonisation, digitalisation, efficiencies, defence and labour considerations.

“This is a pivotal moment for Europe, and it is only by evolving that we can ensure that our merger control policy continues to serve people, drive innovation, and strengthen Europe’s resilience and leadership,” said Teresa Ribera, executive vice president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition. “We count on your help. We stand ready to hear the views of consumers and businesses all across Europe on how our merger review framework can be made fit for the future.”

The EU’s existing merger rules were drafted in 2004 and have received numerous updates since that time. From a telecoms perspective, these rules have long been viewed as overly restrictive, blocking consolidation in highly competitive markets. This, the operators argue, has limited their ability to invest at scale and is hindering their international competitiveness.

The national antitrust regulators, however, argue that shrinking the number of players in individual markets risks reducing competition, driving up prices for consumers, and decreasing incentive to invest in infrastructure. Regulators from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Portugal notably issued a joint statement to this effect last month.

“The narrative that fragmentation in the electronic communications sector, hindering investment and innovation, allegedly results from unduly strict competition rules is misplaced,” read the statement.

This long-running debate has been thrown into sharp relief in recent years due to global economic instability, particularly the geopolitical clash between the USA and China which has left Europe scrambling to attain technological growth and self-sufficiency.

Following her re-election in July last year, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote a letter to Ribera, outlining the need for “new approach to competition policy” to boost innovation.

The letter asked Ribera to “modernize the EU’s competition policy to ensure it supports European companies to innovate, compete and lead world-wide and contributes to our wider objectives on competitiveness and sustainability, social fairness and security.”

More specifically, it said that revisions to the HMG should “give adequate weight to the European economy’s more acute needs in respect of resilience, efficiency and innovation, the time horizons and investment intensity of competition in certain strategic sectors and the changed defense and security environment.”

These same factors were again highlighted in the newly announced review.

“This comprehensive and ambitious review of the EU merger guidelines is a unique opportunity to modernise the Commission’s framework for assessing the impact of mergers on competition. It will allow us to account for disruptive changes in our societies and our economies over the past 20 years, such as digitalisation, and enable us to ensure that innovation, resilience, and the investment intensity of competition are given adequate weight in light of the European economy’s acute needs,” said Ribera in a statement.

Interested parties have until 3 September to submit their response to the consultation.

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news with the Total Telecom newsletter

Also in the news:
Germany appoints first ever digital minister
Signify and Cornerstone to deploy city-wide multi-operator wireless network through street lighting
BT opens new flagship Manchester office