Ofcom Put NOW, EE and O2 on Naughty Step for UK Telecoms Complaints – Q2 2024
Ofcom has published their latest Q2 2024 study of UK consumer complaints, which names and shames NOW Broadband (NOW TV) for being the worst provider by attracting the most complaints about broadband, while EE did the same for landline phone and O2 took most flak mobile. Finally, both EE and Virgin Media were jointly on the naughty step for Pay TV. Take note that the regulator’s report only covers complaints that Ofcom itself has received and not those sent directly to an ISP, the ISPA or an...
GoCompare Claim 9.5 Million UK Homes Paying for Unneeded Broadband Speeds
A new survey from comparison site Go.Compare, which used data gathered from YouGov and other sources, has claimed that 34% of respondents (equated to 9.5 million households) are paying for broadband speeds “they don’t need“. This is said to be equal to an estimated £53m spent on “unused speeds” each month (or £637m a year). According to the findings, the majority of Brits pay for some of the fastest broadband speeds. For example, 34% have speeds of over 150 Megabits per second (Mbps), but it’s...
Clarus Networks Deploys Starlink Broadband Across Scotrail Trains
Communications provider Clarus Networks has today announced that they’ve teamed up to use Starlink’s (SpaceX) global network of ultrafast broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which will be used to help bring improved internet connectivity to ScotRail’s trains and related commuters across the highlands of Scotland. The deployment with ScotRail, which follows a recent trial of the same solution (here), is already said to be underway. This new, rail-certified solution – compliant with...
MetTel Is Now an Authorized Starlink Reseller, Extending Managed Network Services via Space Globally
Press Release NEW YORK, Nov. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — MetTel has completed agreements making it an Authorized Starlink Reseller for both government and commercial enterprises, enabling it to offer fully managed network services to any location worldwide via Starlink’s ubiquitous laser mesh network of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. MetTel offers enterprises and government agencies access to Starlink’s laser mesh satellite network as a fully managed service. Starlink provides a low-latency...
Seven More 4G Mobile Mast Upgrades Go Live Across Rural Wales
The UK government (DSIT) has this morning announced that seven more 4G (mobile broadband) mast upgrades have gone live across North, South West and West Wales as part of the £1bn Shared Rural Network (SRN) project. The work will benefit parts of Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park and Bontgoch. The industry-led SRN – supported by £501m of public funding and £532m from operators – involves both the reciprocal sharing of existing masts in...
Dispute Erupts Between UK ISP Onecom and Eve VoIP Partner
Hampshire-based business broadband and cloud provider Onecom, which is backed by LDC and the Ares Management Corporation (here), has caused some concern among their partners after notifying them of an ongoing dispute with their supplier of eve Services (KM Telecom) that threatens to disrupt some services. Just for context. Eve appears to offer a complete VoIP platform (Hosted VoIP and SIP Trunk provision etc.) and, we understand, was potentially also providing a number of broadband circuits to...
Nokia acquires Rapid in API boost
News No financial details of the deal will be disclosed, Nokia said Nokia has announced its acquisition of technology assets from Rapid, which includes the world’s largest API hub and a skilled research and development team. This acquisition marks a major step in Nokia’s plan to grow its network API offerings, aiming to support a wider ecosystem of telecom operators, software providers, and cloud giants to unlock the potential of 5G and 4G networks. Rapid (formerly known as RapidAPI) is a...
Swisscom–Vodafone Italia deal gets green light from Italian authorities
News The deal was first announced in March This week, Vodafone Italia’s sale to Swisscom has been approved by the Italian communication authority AGCOM, Swisscom has confirmed. “The transaction is still subject to two other regulatory approvals, including that of the Italian Competition Authority (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, AGCM). The latter announced on 11 September 2024 that it had opened an in-depth investigation (Phase II) to assess the acquisition under Italy’s...
Ycorp Launch New Data-only eSIM Driven UK Mobile Operator Ymobile
A new UK mobile operator called Ymobile (Ycorp) has officially launched today and claims to be the United Kingdom’s “first data-led, eSIM MVNO“, all while claiming to offer users a “simpler, more streamlined and environmentally friendly” alternative to traditional mobile networks. The operator, which is being powered by Three UK’s national 4G and 5G network via a virtual operator (MVNO) agreement, appears to have avoided the usual approach to mobile plans (i.e. bundling data, calls and texts...
Virgin Media and nexfibre Add 9,000 Witham Homes to UK FTTP Network
Broadband network operator nexfibre, which shares some of their parentage with retail ISP partner Virgin Media (O2), has announced that they’ve extended their 2Gbps speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP / XGS-PON) network to cover 9,000 additional homes in the Essex (England) town of Witham. The town is now fairly well covered by Virgin Media and nexfibre’s combined gigabit broadband networks, although there are also smaller patches of FTTP coverage to be found from Openreach, Gigaclear,...