What the other papers say this morning October 8, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES TNK-BP partner look to sell stake BP’s billionaire partners in TNK-BP say they want to sell or list their 50 per cent stake in the business, creating more uncertainty over the future of Russia’s third-largest oil producer. Total arm warns over inaccuracies Total Oil Trading, one of the largest groups of its kind, [...]
Telecoms peace deal brings 4G to Britain October 2, 2012 BRITAIN’S four major mobile companies will all be able to offer high-speed mobile internet networks from as soon as next summer, after government-brokered talks between broadcasting regulator Ofcom and the operators last night moved forward the date that fourth-generation (4G) airwaves will be cleared for use. Culture secretary Maria Miller brought together the heads of [...]
Culture secretary to broker 4G accord with mobile operators September 30, 2012 BRITAIN’S mobile networks will meet tomorrow to negotiate a government-brokered ceasefire over Ofcom’s auction of 4G spectrum, as culture secretary Maria Miller draws a line under litigation that has delayed a rollout of high speed mobile internet. The auction of 4G-approved bands of mobile airwaves is due to take place at the end of the [...]
TalkTalk tops tables for Ofcom tiffs but overall complaints fall September 26, 2012 TALKTALK has kept its title as the most complained-about communications firm for the sixth consecutive quarter, watchdog Ofcom revealed yesterday, though the number of customer grievances with the industry overall is falling. TalkTalk, whose customer base fell three per cent to 4.05m in the last quarter, yesterday conceded “there is still work to do” after [...]
James Murdoch eyes promotion despite critics September 20, 2012 JAMES Murdoch will be given more responsibility over News Corp’s US television operations more than a year after he became a central figure in the company’s telephone hacking scandal in the UK, two sources familiar with the matter said. News of the promotion comes on the heels of a ruling earlier yesterday that BSkyB is [...]
Virgin Media in talks to run 4G mobile internet September 20, 2012 VIRGIN MEDIA is in the running to become the UK’s second mobile operator to offer 4G mobile internet, with the company in talks with Orange and T-Mobile owner EE to use EE’s network to offer the service. City A.M. understands Virgin Media – which already runs a “virtual” mobile network using EE infrastructure – is [...]
BSkyB is a “fit and proper” broadcaster September 20, 2012 BSkyB is “fit and proper” to hold a broadcasting licence, watchdog Ofcom said today. The watchdog launched an investigation last year after allegations of phone hacking at BskyB’s biggest shareholder News Corp. The investigation by Ofcom, which has clashed repeatedly with BSkyB in the past, had hung over the hugely successful group and raised the [...]
Ofcom pays out on redundancy September 18, 2012 ■ Ofcom spent millions on redundancies over the last five years, even as it hired more staff than it let go, The Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA) revealed yesterday. The communications regulator spent £9.4m on redundancy payments, in a period when it hired 598 staff and only made 223 redundant. “Poor planning by Ofcom has left taxpayers [...]
High speed internet on your phone September 11, 2012 Q When will 4G be available on my mobile phone? A EE has started testing ahead of a rollout in the coming weeks in London, Cardiff, Birmingham and Bristol, with 12 other cities to follow by Christmas and more expansion next year. Only new EE customers will have 4G, although chief executive Olaf Swantee said [...]
Ofcom adamant on 4G launch August 30, 2012 Telecoms watchdog Ofcom will stick to its guns on launching 4G mobile internet in the UK this year, in spite of disquiet from some mobile network operators. “We are ready for any potential litigation of our decision to allow this and we will robustly defend our position if required,” a spokesman said yesterday. The comment [...]