Huge age divide in smartphone internet access as only one in three aged 65 and over use mobile internet August 6, 2015 The age divide in internet access is even more extreme than you might imagine. Essentially all young adults in the UK use smartphones to go online, but among those aged 65 and up, that figure dwindles to less than one in three. 96 per cent of adults aged 16 to 24 accessed internet “on the [...]
Britain’s now a smartphone and selfie nation, Ofcom report finds August 6, 2015 If you feel like smartphones are taking over, you're not wrong. The nation is now using smartphones to get online more than any other device for the first time in history. The smartphone has snatched the crown from laptops as the device people said was the most important for getting online – 33 per cent [...]
BT’s profits rise ahead of sports pay-TV launch July 31, 2015 BT Group yesterday posted a solid rise in first-quarter profits and said it is on track to meet full-year expectations, thanks to strong demand for its superfast fibre broadband and a flurry of customers signing up for its new pay-TV football coverage. The telecoms company pulled in 217,000 new super-fast fibre broadband customers and 60,000 [...]
BT shrugs off break-up talks to increase profit before tax by 16 per cent July 30, 2015 The likes of Sky may be after its head, but that hasn't prevented BT from posting a 16 per cent rise in pre-tax profit, despite a modest fall in revenue. BT's share price fell three per cent in mid morning trading following the announcement. The figures The telecoms giant reported a two per cent fall [...]
Broadcaster Sky grows audience and revenue after acquiring companies in Germany and Italy July 30, 2015 BT? What BT? Sky's customer demand hit record levels in 2015, despite the company's squabbles with its rival. The figures Sky’s group adjusted revenue increased five per cent to £11.3bn in the year to the end of June, compared to £10.8bn a year before. Profits before tax at the broadcaster increased six per cent to [...]
Dealmaking hopes snap five-day losing streak for the FTSE – London Report July 28, 2015 HOPES for corporate deal-making and robust corporate results offset market turmoil in China and worries about emerging-market growth yesterday. The FTSE 100 index closed up 0.8 percent at 6,555.28 points, while the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose one per cent. RSA Insurance soared 18 per cent on news Zurich Insurance was considering a takeover bid. [...]
Mobile network switching is about to get much easier thanks to Ofcom July 28, 2015 Switching your mobile network provider is about to get much easier as the regulator looks at changing the rules because companies are currently making it too difficult switch. Ofcom last month introduced new rules making it easier for people to switch broadband providers and is now looking at a similar move when it comes to [...]
Best UK mobile network: EE crowned fastest and most reliable mobile operator against Vodafone, Three and O2 in study by RootMetrics July 28, 2015 Here’s some news that’ll put a smile on any EE customer’s face: the operator has been crowned the best-performing mobile network in the UK in an independent study by RootMetrics. EE won a clean sweep of all categories, providing customers with both the best speed and reliability. But competitor Three proved a strong rival, coming [...]
Royal Mail’s share price plummets after Ofcom claims it “breached competition law” over delivery service changes July 28, 2015 Royal Mail's share price plummeted three per cent in early trading after Ofcom claimed it had “breached competition law” by behaving in a way that “amounted to unlawful discrimination” against competitors. The communications watchdog has issued a strongly worded “statement of objections” as part of an ongoing investigation prompted by complaints against Royal Mail [...]
Royal Mail posts flat revenue as letter sending continues to fall July 21, 2015 The figures The continued drop in letter-sending held back Royal Mail in the three months to 28 June, with revenue at the FTSE 100-listed company's core parcels and letters business falling two per cent, primarily thanks to a five per cent fall in the addressed letter volumes in the UK. Even the benefit of the [...]