How Talktalk went from taking on BT to being rescued by it Telecoms TalkTalk was founded to take on BT, slash the price of broadband and shake up a market dominated by a handful of incumbents. But more than two decades later, the challenger has ended up in the arms of the company it was built to challenge. BT stepped in on Monday to buy Talktalk and its [...]
Virgin Media takes aim at ‘stitch up’ BT rescue of Talktalk Telecoms Virgin Media has hit out at BT’s rescue of Talktalk as a “stitch up”, warning the deal could further strengthen its rival’s grip on Britain’s broadband market. BT agreed on Monday to acquire debt-laden Talktalk and its wholesale arm PlatformX Communications out of administration, safeguarding services for 1.5 million retail customers and one million wholesale [...]
Ofcom blocks ‘unfair’ Openreach pricing scheme Business The communications regulator has blocked Openreach’s new pricing scheme, arguing the proposed charges were “unfair” and granted it an unfair advantage over competitors. Ofcom has ordered Openreach, a fibre broadband network, to withdraw its ‘Incremental New to Openreach Offer’. The offer would have provided internet service providers (ISPs) a monthly discount for bringing new full-fibre [...]
BT Openreach told to pull ‘unfair’ broadband discount July 28, 2026 Ofcom has moved to block a heavily discounted Openreach broadband offer after warning it could squeeze rival fibre networks out of the market, in the regulator’s first attempt to stop a commercial deal from BT’s network arm. The telecoms watchdog said Openreach’s proposed discount for internet providers signing up new full-fibre customers was “not fair [...]
BT braces for loss of 800,000 customers as it banks on fibre to keep turnaround ‘on track’ July 23, 2026 BT stuck to its cash targets despite another quarter of flat sales and falling profit, as the telecoms giant pointed to growing demand for its fibre network. The FTSE 100 firm held guidance for around £2bn of free cash flow this year after revenue edged little changed to £4.3bn in the first quarter. Pre-tax profit [...]
VodafoneThree enters race for TalkTalk customers with takeover bid June 9, 2026 Vodafone has tabled a bid for TalkTalk’s consumer broadband business, joining a crowded auction as the UK’s largest mobile operator pushes into the home internet market. The FTSE 100 telecoms giant has emerged as a late entrant into the sale process, after initially declining to participate, the Financial Times first reported. Sources close to the [...]
Monzo goes mobile: UK fintech debuts cell service in tie-up with Virgin Media O2 May 28, 2026 Monzo is set to launch its mobile service this summer in the firm’s latest play at diversifying its income from its traditional digital banking roots. The London-based fintech has sealed a tie-up with Virgin Media O2 and 1Global to kick off ‘Monzo Mobile’ – a phone plan and e-sim offering. Virgin will provide the UK [...]
BT bags five-year digital contract with BAE Systems May 14, 2026 BT has signed a five-year deal with BAE Systems to provide secure connectivity across the defence giant’s global operations, as military contractors ramp up digital infrastructure spend. The contract will see BT support BAE’s network across 40 countries, with an option to extend the partnership by an additional three years. The deal comes as BAE, [...]
Vodafone says UK merger is ‘ahead of plan’ as boss bets on mega multi-brand strategy May 12, 2026 Vodafone said it is “building momentum” as the telecoms behemoth pushes further into the British market following its £4.3bn VodafoneThree deal and signs of stabilisation in Germany. The FTSE 100 telecoms group reported better-than-expected annual revenue of €40.4bn (£35bn) for the year to March, up from €37.4bn last year. Meanwhile, pre-tax profit slipped slighty to [...]
BT shares dip as Ofcom probes EE and Plusnet data April 29, 2026 Shares in telecoms giant BT Group slid on Wednesday after the regulator Ofcom launched a formal investigation into whether it provided inaccurate or incomplete customer service data through EE and Plusnet. The UK watchdog said it is looking into whether BT complied with legally binding information requests issued in December 2023, under the Communications Act, [...]