BT executive appointed by government to scrutinise tech regulation January 26, 2020 A senior BT executive will run a new body that looks at regulation in technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Cathryn Ross, the group’s director of regulatory affairs, will chair the government’s new Regulatory Horizons Council, first reported by Sky News. The body, which is still being set up, will scrutinise whether tech regulation is keeping [...]
Sky poised to sign streaming deal with Disney January 26, 2020 Sky is said to be close to signing a deal with Disney to bring the US giant’s new streaming service to its pay-TV platform. The two companies are finalising a multi-year tie-up that could shut out rivals Virgin Media and BT, the Sunday Telegraph reported. Disney Plus is expected to launch on Sky alongside its [...]
Vodafone ranked ‘worst’ UK mobile and broadband provider January 24, 2020 Vodafone is the UK’s most complained about provider for broadband, landline and mobile, according to regulator Ofcom. The firm topped the broadband complaint charts for the second quarter in a row, between July and September last year. The Ofcom report said thousands of customers had complained to them regarding the supplier’s poor customer service, faulty [...]
Hua you gonna call? Why Britain’s 5G infrastructure decision has real implications January 23, 2020 Britain looks set to decide on Chinese titan Huawei’s role in 5G infrastructure next week. Political Editor Catherine Neilan looks at why it matters so much If campaigning is poetry, governing is prose – so goes one of the iron rules of politics. Tough, controversial decisions must be made, and one of Boris Johnson’s first [...]
Not as easy as 1,2,3: Seven accounting errors that rocked FTSE firms January 22, 2020 Ted Baker today experienced the dubious honour of joining a list of FTSE firms that have been shaken by accounting errors in the past year. The fashion retailer revealed an accounting error was more than twice as bad as it previously thought, knocking shares down seven per cent. But it is by no means the [...]
Talktalk sells broadband business to Cityfibre for £200m January 21, 2020 Broadband provider Cityfibre this morning announced the acquisition of Fibrenation, Talktalk’s fibre networks rollout business, for £200m. The deal, which was delayed in November after Labour announced plans to nationalise BT, means that Cityfibre’s rollout target has risen from 5m up to 8m premises in the UK. As a result of the purchase, Talktalk, which [...]
Disney Plus to launch in the UK on 24 March January 21, 2020 Disney Plus, the entertainment giant’s subscription service, will launch in the UK on 24 March, it was confirmed this morning. The platform, which is set to take on competitors such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, will come with two payment models: £5.99 a month or £59.99 for a year. Subscribers will be able to access [...]
BT and Vodafone ‘support Huawei involvement’ in UK 5G network January 17, 2020 BT and Vodafone are reportedly set to support Chinese telecoms firm Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G network. The companies are preparing a letter to be sent to the Prime Minister to lobby him to support the move, saying a ban on Huawei could stunt the growth of the UK’s digital economy, Sky News reported. [...]
Goldman-backed telecoms firm on brink of £200m Talktalk deal January 16, 2020 Goldman Sachs-backed telecoms firm City Fibre could seal its £200m takeover of a Talktalk division as soon as this weekend. The deal, which was first reported in August, was put on hold in November when Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party vowed to nationalise BT’s broadband infrastructure arm and provide free broadband if they won the December [...]
ITV holds talks with BT as it eyes Champions League broadcast rights January 12, 2020 ITV is said to be in discussions with rival BT as it looks to secure broadcast rights to Champions League football matches. The public service broadcaster is eyeing up a bid for a package of games held by the telecoms giant after losing out in an auction in November, the Sunday Times reported. Read more: [...]