70 per cent of Brits have better internet than last year according to Ofcom December 15, 2022 Ofcom’s latest report shows that nearly 70 per cent of the UK is covered by gigabit-capable broadband. This is an improvement from 2021 when only 47 per cent of the UK was covered by fast internet, with at least 12m homes now connected to full fibre broadband. The report on the UK’s digital infrastructure showed [...]
Rivals raise eyebrows over BT’s Openreach price cuts December 14, 2022 BT’s Openreach has said it plans to offer cheaper rates to its wholesale clients like Sky and TalkTalk as it tries to push Brits from copper to full fibre. The move will benefit big internet providers that do not have their own fibre networks, but has raised eyebrows amongst the firm’s biggest rivals. The main [...]
Ofcom probes mobile phone firm’s steep in-contract price spikes December 1, 2022 Ofcom has launched an industry-wide probe into whether in-contract price rises were set out clearly enough by big telecom firms. After analysing customer complaints and preliminary evidence, the watchdog expressed concern that some companies had not been transparent enough about price spikes during customer contracts. Under Ofcom rules, providers must set out any future changes [...]
Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite connection to be trialled in UK after bagging licences December 1, 2022 Elon Musk’s Starlink technology is to be trialled in the UK, in a bit to boost connection in rural areas. The web-linked satellites will be deployed to provide connectivity to a few isolated sites, including a 12th-century abbey in the North York Moors National Park and rescue operations in the Lake District and Snowdonia National [...]
Govt strengthens cybersecurity laws for public services November 30, 2022 The government said it will strengthen its cybersecurity laws to better protect essential services like water, energy and transport, from online attacks. In response to a public consultation earlier this year, the government has confirmed the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations will be strengthened to protect essential and digital services against increasingly sophisticated and frequent cyber attacks both now [...]
Former Google exec Gill Whitehead named Ofcom lead for online safety November 30, 2022 A former Google executive will be joining Ofcom to oversee its new duties as the regulator for online safety. Gill Whitehead will head up the media watchdog’s Online Safety Group from April 2023, reporting to chief exec Dame Melanie Dawes. Whitehead currently leads the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) which oversees the digital expertise of four member regulators: the [...]
Explainer-in-brief: Fresh overhauls to the Online Safety Bill November 30, 2022 People will instead be able to filter out the harmful content they don’t want to see.
Ofcom clamp down on fake number fraud November 15, 2022 Phone users will be better protected against scammers using fake phone numbers, under new rules announced today by Ofcom. Scams are a widespread problem – three quarters of people have received a suspicious call or text in the last three months. This represents an estimated 40.8 million adults in the UK. To help combat this [...]
Legal but harmful: The Online Safety stalemate is still stuck in the trenches November 9, 2022 When the government first announced the “legal but harmful” requirement in the online safety bill it wasn’t quite clear who was most offended. From the free speech activists fearful of overzealous regulation, to the tech entrepreneurs wary of burdensome requirements and the human rights lawyers cautious of government overreach, the screams of dissent came from [...]
BBC’s local radio cuts slammed as ‘unwarranted’ and ‘misguided’ November 1, 2022 Leading journalist trade body has slammed the BBC’s ambitions to invest more into its local digital news. Chief exec of The News Media Association Owen Meredith criticised the broadcaster’s plans to cut back its late-night local radio, which will see 139 audio roles axed. All local shows after 10pm are set to be replaced with [...]