Full separation of BT’s infrastructure arm Openreach is not “off the table” – Bradley September 13, 2016 BT has been dealt a blow just months after the telecoms group escaped its infrastructure arm Openreach being hived off by the regulator. Karen Bradley – the culture, media, and sport secretary – warned BT that Openreach could still be split out to a separate company despite Ofcom’s proposals to leave it under the BT [...]
Bank of England corporate bond buying details unveiled September 12, 2016 Electricity companies are set to be big winners from the Bank of England's upcoming corporate bond buying programme, according to official documents published this afternoon. Threadneedle Street has unveiled the details of its £10bn money-printing programme which will see it buy high-quality company bonds, with one-quarter set to be channelled to electricity companies such as [...]
Three calls for cap on mobile spectrum sales September 6, 2016 Mobile carrier Three has called on the telecoms regulator Ofcom to limit how much of wireless spectrum companies can buy. Three – still reeling from its planned merger with O2 being blocked by the European competition watchdog earlier this year – slammed Ofcom for allowing industry heavyweights Vodafone and the recently combined BT and EE [...]
“No security issues” surrounding billion-pound data centre deal with China September 4, 2016 The company run by the billionaire Reuben brothers has denied there are security concerns around a potential sale of a stake in its data centre company Global Switch to Chinese investors. The former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has called on the Prime Minister Theresa May to vet the potential multi-billion pound deal over concerns around access to data. Read [...]
New generation of artisan brewers emerging in Edinburgh September 2, 2016 Edinburgh's heritage has a long association with breweries. Throughout the history of the city, brewing takes its place as one of the oldest and most important industries. At the turn of the 20th century the city was home to no fewer than 35 breweries. More than a hundred years later, the city’s rich traditions are giving rise [...]
The BBC iPlayer loophole is closing tomorrow: Here’s what you need to know August 31, 2016 The law around the licence fee is changing tomorrow. It is now illegal to watch BBC programmes on demand, including on the iPlayer, without paying the £145.50 annual fee. Here is what you need to know: Do I need to do anything if I already have a licence? No. If your household is already covered [...]
Free music for EE customers… for six months at least August 26, 2016 Britain's largest mobile phone carrier has announced a tie-up with Apple Music that will see customers receive a free six month subscription. EE – now owned by telecoms giant BT – said that any new monthly customers or those renewing their contracts could benefit from the free service. “The deal is a coup for EE that [...]
Big City bosses batten down the hatches for Brexit deal drag August 24, 2016 A drawn-out Brexit process would have a dire impact on the UK's investment and growth according to some of the City’s top veterans as they brace themselves for a lengthy divorce from the EU. Sir Martin Sorrell, the chief executive of advertising giant WPP, BT chairman Sir Mike Rake, and private equity guru Jon Moulton [...]
Let’s get a move on with climate change, say institutional heavy hitters August 24, 2016 Institutional investors representing nearly £10 trillion of assets have urged G20 leaders to ratify a climate deal to shift away from fossil fuels. Six coalitions representing 130 investors – including the BT Pension Scheme, CBRE Global Investors, HSBC Global Asset Management and L&G Investment Management – clubbed together and wrote to world leaders ahead of the G20 summit, due [...]
Now’s your chance to be the voice of the speaking clock August 22, 2016 Clear your throat, gargle that water and prepare for the opportunity to go down in British history… as the voice of the talking clock. Yep, it still exists (somehow still receiving 12m calls a year) and BT wants to find a new person to takeover the prestigious job – only the fifth in the peculiarly British institution's 80 year history. The [...]