Sky (Sky Broadband etc.) has this afternoon announced that they’ve signed an expanded partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery in the UK and Ireland, which means that existing Sky TV and NOW TV customers (e.g. Sky Glass, Sky Stream) will gain free (non-exclusive) access to the new ad-supported streaming service (app), Max (HBO Max), when it launches in 2026.

The deal means that Sky’s existing agreement has been extended until “early 2026“, with the new Max service set to become available “at no extra cost” after that. Max will exclusively feature new HBO Original and Max Original shows and more when it launches in the UK and Ireland.

Existing franchises and their future series will continue on the Sky Atlantic channel for Sky customers, with pay 1 movies to be shown on Sky Cinema. For example, Sky customers will find shows such as House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us, and any new series aired “before the end of 2025“, on Sky Atlantic and through Sky’s On Demand service.

However, newer series, such as the forthcoming exclusive series of Harry Potter, will only be available via Max.

Dana Strong, Sky Group CEO, said:

“This deal builds on our remarkable achievements this year. We have secured most major sports rights through to the end of the decade, extended our content partnerships, and progressed our transition from satellite to IP, with 9 out 10 new customers choosing Sky Glass or Sky Stream. This partnership solidifies Sky as the ultimate TV destination and the preferred partner of choice for streamers, rights holders and content creators alike.”

Max first launched (as HBO Max) in the USA during May 2020, but it’s slowly spreading out to more countries and today’s deal tells us when we can expect to see it in the UK. On the other hand, if there’s one thing the market doesn’t need right now, it’s yet more confusion around the ever-increasing level of content fragmentation between multiple different streaming services.

Edinburgh-based UK ISP GoFibre (BorderLink) has today confirmed that they’ve “completed” their roll-out of a new full fibre (FTTP) broadband network across the rural Northumberland village of Harbottle, which is home to over 250 people and forms part of their £7.3m Project Gigabit delivery contract (here) to cover 3,750 hard-to-reach premises in the county.

The announcement means that around 90 additional premises are now ready to connect to their new FTTP network, which adds to the over 14,300 homes and businesses in the region that can already access GoFibre’s ultra-fast broadband speeds (including 3,700 funded under the Project Gigabit contract). This reflects a big chunk of the 118,000 premises they’ve already covered across the North of England and Scotland.

However, the Harbottle build was not without its challenges, as GoFibre’s engineers had to undertake an extensive civil engineering effort on the north side of the main street, installing new infrastructure where none previously existed. The operator also worked closely with the local authority, national park and residents in order to minimise disruption in the village (e.g. hosting two pre-construction meetings to keep the community informed, sharing updates through the Harbottle newsletters, scheduling the majority of works during school holidays and ensuring access to local amenities during the build).

Andy Hepburn, COO at GoFibre, said:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to share that our full fibre broadband network is now up and running in Harbottle. This wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and expertise of our fantastic engineers and the support from the local council, National Parks and, of course, the understanding from the wonderful residents of Harbottle. Everyone pulled together to make sure the construction went smoothly and without too much disruption.

We know just how important a fast and reliable connection is for working, studying and staying connected, especially in rural areas. That’s why I’m encouraging everyone in Harbottle to sign up and take advantage of our top-notch broadband service. Let’s continue to bridge the digital divide and build a more connected future for all of us!”

Customers of GoFibre’s network typically pay from £36 per month (currently discounted to £29) for a 150Mbps (30Mbps upload) package on a 24-month term with an included wireless router, which rises to £69 per month (currently discounted to £49) for their top 1000Mbps (100Mbps upload) plan. The latter also comes with a bonus Wi-Fi extender (this can optionally be taken on other plans at extra cost).

Abingdon-based rural ISP and full fibre network builder Gigaclear has today celebrated a “record year of growth in 2024” after adding 40,000 new customers (up almost 50% in the year) to total over 130,000, while also extending their network coverage to 580,000 premises as ‘Ready for Service’ (up by 100k in the year).

Nathan Rundle, CEO of Gigaclear, said: “Our mission is to bring the fastest full fibre broadband to rural Britain so I am delighted to report that we have connected more hard to reach customers in 2024 than ever before. As the year draws to a close, I would like to thank the Gigaclear team for their contributions towards achieving this important milestone and I look forward to continued growth in 2025.”

Suffice to say that the operator is rightly pleased with the progress they’ve made, although it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Gigaclear also got into some hot water in Essex due to a legal dispute over contract delivery (here) and are being investigated by Ofcom over their possible failure to “provide accurate and reliable caller location information to emergency organisations“ (here).

The provider also recently moved to slow its deployments and cut some jobs as part of “planning for the next stage of its development” and a “re-focus on ultra-rural areas“ (here). But the rural ISP said that it would build on this year’s record figures to “help drive economic growth in 2025“, not least by “ensuring that even more rural homes and businesses are benefitting from ultrafast broadband.”

Contract-free UK mobile provider VOXI, which is a virtual network operator (MVNO) sibling of Vodafone, has today announced the introduction of eSIM (Electronic SIM) support to their mobile service for both new and existing customers who take one of their SIM Only mobile plans.

Just to recap. The eSIM standard is an alternative to physical SIM cards, which works by essentially embedding an electronic SIM into your device (Smartphone) that could – once fully implemented – make it easier and quicker to switch between operators (e.g. not having to wait for a SIM card to arrive) and to use additional networks alongside your main mobile service (e.g. eSIMs for travel when abroad).

Scott Currie, Head of VOXI, said: “We’re thrilled to introduce eSIM on VOXI Mobile, making it easier than ever to get connected. With network access in as little as 10 minutes, eSIM is not only more eco-friendly [i.e. it’s plastic free and postage-free], it gives our customers a hassle-free way to join without waiting for a SIM card to arrive.”

The announcement doesn’t say much more than that, except to note that not all Smartphones currently support eSIM technology and VOXI’s eSIMs are currently only available when purchasing a SIM only plan (i.e. not in conjunction with a handset device). The operator also caveats that, “in some instances, application may take longer than 10 minutes“.

News 

Shareholders are scrambling to keep the company afloat  

TalkTalk has reported deepening financial woes, with losses reaching £72 million in the six months to August 2024, up from £47 million in the same period last year, according to its latest accounts which have been seen by The Telegraph.  

Revenues also fell 6% to £700 million, reflecting a shrinking customer base and the  sale of its business division for £95 million last year. 

Analysts warn that TalkTalk could lose up to 250,000 customers this year after slashing its marketing budget. TalkTalk itself forecasts a 5% annual decline in customer numbers over the next five years. 

In a bid to stop its collapse, billionaire founder Sir Charles Dunstone and other shareholders injected additional funding into the business this summer. In August, the company announced that it has signed a binding agreement on a refinancing deal, with company shareholders including founder Sir Charles Dunstone, Toscafund, and Ares Management, agreeing to invest an additional £170 million into the business, on top of the £65 million invested in July.  

The deal also included the transfer of assets including Virtual subsidiary and the customer bases of Ovo and Shell, bringing the total refinancing to over £400 million. 

These funds did little to reassure onlookers, however. In October, Deloitte resigned as TalkTalk’s auditor, citing inadequate financial controls for a business of its scale. Meanwhile, unpaid supplier bills, including to BT’s Openreach, have added to the strain, according to the Telegraph. 

During this turbulent period for the company, it is reportedly reconsidering its strategy. Once known as a value broadband provider, it faces stiff competition from rivals offering aggressive discounts.  

A potential £500m sale of its wholesale division, Platform X, fell through back in August. 

TalkTalk has declined to comment. 

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

Also in the news:
IBM and Samsung poised to win £900m Emergency Services Network contract over BT
IoH and Nokia team up for Indonesian 4G and 5G expansion
Cubic Telecom and Skylo partner for satellite capabilities for vehicles

News 

The news comes after BT signed a separate ESN contract last week 

IBM and Samsung are set to secure a £895m contract to deliver user services for the UK’s new Emergency Services Network (ESN), leaving BT and its Italian partner Leonardo out of the deal, according to a recent Telegraph report. 

The Home Office’s decision marks a key step in the long-delayed and over-budget ESN project to modernise communication systems for police, fire, and ambulance services in the UK. 

BT had been considered a frontrunner for the contract, which includes managing emergency responder accounts, supplying devices, and developing “push-to-talk” functionality. However, industry sources suggest concerns over awarding multiple contracts to BT may have influenced the decision.  

Just last week, the UK incumbent won a £1.29 billion contract to provide the ESN’s network infrastructure. 

The ESN project has faced significant challenges, including Motorola’s controversial departure in 2022 after a clash with regulators over alleged overcharging. Since then, the Home Office has struggled to replace the user services provider, which has led to delays and escalating costs. 

IBM’s selection brings fresh momentum to the ESN but raises questions about whether it can navigate the programme’s long-standing technical and operational challenges. These include integrating commercial mobile networks with the bespoke ‘push-to-talk’ functionality critical for first responders. With delays and cost overruns already eroding confidence in the programme, the spotlight is on IBM to deliver where others have struggled. The company’s ability to manage these hurdles effectively will be critical to restoring faith in the ESN’s vision of a modern, cost-efficient emergency services network John Black, the ESN’s programme director, is notably a former IBM executive, and will be in charge of overseeing the transition to the new providers. 

“All commercial contracts are procured in line with government rules which are designed to ensure the best value for taxpayers and fair competition, said a Home Office spokesperson.  

Both BT and IBM have declined to comment. 

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

Also in the news:
New European Commissioners set sights on bloc’s international competitiveness
Namibia halts Starlink operations amid licensing dispute  
Deutsche Telekom replaces Huawei kit in new Nokia deal

Broadband ISP and mobile operator Vodafone UK has this morning announced a new “strategic alliance” with Gigs, which provides a kind of operating system for mobile services that can help startups and large tech companies across the country to launch their own virtual mobile operator (MVNO) style services.

The move, which follows close behind last week’s complementary partnership with eSIM Go (here), is aimed at “drastically lowering the barriers to entry and reducing operational overhead” for businesses to launch their own MVNOs. Gigs’ own website similarly states that they offer “everything you need to launch phone and data plans, all in one place” (e.g. wholesale connectivity, checkout, payments / billing, tax, compliance, flexibility to build your own plans + allowances, pricing etc.).

According to the blurb, the adoption of Gigs’ platform will enable businesses of all sizes to allow their customers to “tag on connectivity when making purchases“, while naturally connecting “quickly and efficiently to Vodafone’s award-winning network“. In theory, this means businesses could setup their own MVNO plans “in just a few weeks instead of months or even years.”

Maria Grazia Pecorari, Director of Wholesale & Strategy at Vodafone UK, said:

“By combining our network with Gigs’ operating system we’re able to help businesses of all sizes give their customers or employees connectivity quickly and efficiently. At Vodafone UK, we are committed to fostering innovation and supporting our customers’ evolving needs, that includes giving more people access to our network, more flexibly.”

Hermann Frank, Co-founder and CEO of Gigs, said:

“We stand on the brink of a transformative shift in the telecommunications industry. A surging number of tech companies—from neobanks, travel companies to HR platforms—are launching unique product experiences with tailored phone plans to meet the demands of modern consumers and businesses. Our strategic partnership with Vodafone is a win-win-win for all involved.

Vodafone extends its network reach to innovative tech companies with large audiences and digital distribution channels, while driving significant mobile traffic to the Gigs platform. Our customers, meanwhile, can now seamlessly bundle their existing offerings with phone plans in their own brand on Vodafone’s premium 5G network.”

On the one hand, more choice is usually a good thing. But sometimes lowering the barrier to entry can also result in a more confusing market and one where quality may suffer, although for now this looks to be an interesting development and one to keep an eye on.

Broadband ISP and mobile operator Virgin Media and O2 (VMO2) have today announced that the recent introduction (here) of their new “next generation” Converged Interconnect Network (CIN) has already helped to improve its mobile network across the UK, not least by connecting 1,000 mobile sites to its proprietary 10Gbps fibre optic backhaul network.

In case anybody has forgotten, the new CIN essentially brings their fixed line (FTTP, DOCSIS etc.) and mobile networks (4G, 5G etc.) together in a way that will make them more efficient, resilient, scalable and flexible. This takes the core deeper into VMO2’s network, with IP routed networks deployed in the access network, and allows different services to coexist on the network and be managed more easily, with the end customer moving closer to an optimised, scalable and high-capacity network (i.e. data is aggregated closer to the end user before routing it back to the core network).

The 1,000 O2 mobile sites being discussed today were previously connected to a third-party backhaul connection, which VMO2 complained could “act as a bottleneck” at busy times. By connecting the sites to their own fibre network, O2 customers should benefit from a higher capacity network with greater throughput (faster mobile broadband speeds).

Steven Verigotta, Director of Radio & Mobile Backhaul Delivery at VMO2, said:

“We are always looking for ways to deliver a better network experience for our customers. By leveraging our converged network, we have been able to quickly and efficiently increase capacity and throughput at 1,000 mobile sites across the country, helping deliver tangible improvements for our customers. This is all part of our plan to provide customers with the best connectivity, no matter where they are.”

The operator claims that this approach to backhaul connections can also accelerate the rollout of O2’s mobile network in the future. “By leveraging its converged network and connecting mobile masts to Virgin Media’s fixed fibre network, the operator can remove the need to pay for a fixed backhaul connection provided by a competitor,” added VMO2.

Internet benchmarking firm Opensignal has today published their “definitive” 2024 Fixed Broadband Experience report, which gauges the performance of various internet service providers across the UK and then separately across 12 of its regions (inc. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Overall, Virgin Media came top in the national scores, but the regional results are different.

Just for context. Opensignal leverages crowdsourced data collected via end-users on their benchmarking app and services. Due to this there are some caveats to consider because such testing can be impacted by a lot of variable factors, such as poor home wiring (ADSL and FTTC lines), the end-user’s choice of package (e.g. 1Gbps could be available, but people may pick a slower / cheaper tier), local network congestion and slow home WiFi etc.

In addition, the report also seems to include results from some mobile broadband and satellite services (e.g. Three UK and Starlink), which makes for an interesting comparison, albeit one that seems to muddy the traditional definition of “fixed broadband“. Otherwise, the report attempts to categorise its results by several different measurements of user experience: Consistent Quality, Download Speed, Upload Speed, Video Experience and Reliability Experience.

Nationally, Virgin Media sweeps the overall experience table, winning all five of the overall experience awards outright. This means that out of the UK’s national broadband providers, Virgin Media’s users “have the best available experience when streaming video, the fastest average download and upload speeds, and the most reliable, and the most consistent fixed broadband experience“.

National Results – Consistent Quality

Virgin Media 90.4
Vodafone 88.4
Plusnet 87.1
BT 86.6
EE 83.1
TalkTalk 82.6
Sky Broadband 76.9
Three UK 72.3

National Results – Download Speed

Virgin Media 157.4Mbps
Vodafone 77.5Mbps
BT 62.0Mbps
Three UK 54.8Mbps
Sky Broadband 52.5Mbps
Plusnet 52.4Mbps
TalkTalk 48.8Mbps
EE 45.9Mbps

Clearly at this point it helps that Virgin Media has nearly all of their customer base on 100Mbps or faster broadband lines and in urban areas, which is a big help in a study like this. On the flip side, providers with a much more varied mix of slower (e.g. ADSL, FTTC) and faster (e.g. FTTP) broadband technologies, particularly those with many users on those slower lines, are going to be at a disadvantage. But such is the way of things.

However, once the report starts to take more of a regional focus, then we begin to see smaller ISPs and alternative networks like Hyperoptic, YouFibre (Netomnia), Zen Internet, Brsk, toob, CommunityFibre and Gigaclear scooping up wins across different categories and locations.

For example, CommunityFibre dominates the London fixed broadband experience, while Hyperoptic is the most awarded ISP in Scotland and YouFibre performs strongly in the North of England. In addition, Virgin Media wins all five awards in Wales and is the most awarded provider in Northern Ireland.

However, the regional results are too tedious to paste into this article, so you’ll need to read the full report for those.

The latest Q3 2024 Global Call Threat Report from Hiya, which also works with broadband ISPs and mobile operators (BT, EE, O2, Virgin Media etc.) to help detect and block SPAM and fraud calls, has revealed that residents of the UK receive 4 spam calls per person each month (up from 3 spam calls last quarter) – albeit one of the lowest rates in Europe.

Overall, the latest report found that 3% of all UK calls were classified as “fraud calls” (unchanged from Q2), while 25% were “nuisance calls” (unchanged) and the remaining 72% reflected all other (normal) calls – this reflects a spam flag rate of 28% (unchanged). Generally, fewer spam/scam calls are making it past the network-level filtering systems being adopted by various phone providers, but they aren’t perfect and not everybody uses them.

The top sources of scam calls in Q3 2024 once again came from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) impersonators, which was followed by those trying to impersonate Amazon and Credit Card companies (i.e. Visa and Mastercard). Hiya also revealed that Brits are concerned about the advent of AI-generated deepfakes. In the company’s survey of more than 2,000 British citizens, some 18% said they had experienced an audio deepfake. Most commonly, the deepfake came from a fake personal call.