Ofcom expresses concern over reality TV after Jeremy Kyle Show death May 21, 2019 Ofcom has expressed concern about the treatment of reality TV stars, a week after ITV axed the Jeremy Kyle Show following the death of a contestant. Appearing in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Ofcom chief executive Sharon White said the regulator is “particularly concerned” about the duty of care broadcasters have [...]
EE outage: EE resolves network issue that left users unable to make or receive calls over 4G May 21, 2019 EE customers were struck speechless today as the mobile provider suffered an outage leaving users unable to make and receive calls. Read more: Natwest online outage leaves customers unable to access accounts Voice calls over 4G were not working for thousands of customers this morning, though an EE spokesperson said most users should have seen [...]
MPs launch probe into reality TV following Jeremy Kyle Show death May 15, 2019 MPs have launched an inquiry into reality TV shows just hours after ITV axed The Jeremy Kyle Show following the death of a guest. The DCMS Committee said it will probe production companies’ duty of care to participants and ask whether enough support is offered both during and after filming. Read more: ITV revenues slip [...]
Firms forced to tell customers about cheapest mobile and broadband deals under new Ofcom rules May 15, 2019 Broadband, phone and TV firms will be forced to tell customers about their best deals under new rules unveiled today by Ofcom. The new regulations mean telecoms firms will have to notify customers when their contracts are coming to an end and lay out the best tariffs available. Read more: UK average broadband speeds rise by a [...]
‘Poorly designed’ 5G spectrum auctions risk harming consumers, mobile operators warn May 9, 2019 Multi-billion-pound auctions designed to flog 5G spectrum to mobile networks are badly-run and pose a risk to the rollout of the new technology, a new report has warned. Research carried out by the GSMA, the trade body for mobile operators, revealed auctions across the world can artificially inflate prices, meaning operators may have to limit [...]
Five things we learned from BT’s full-year results May 9, 2019 BT today published its eagerly-awaited results for the full-year, as investors kept a keen eye on the telecoms giant’s plan to turn around its ailing fortunes. After growing speculation over the company’s targets for full-fibre broadband and a potential dividend cut for beleaguered shareholders, here are five major takeaways from the results. Read more: BT boosts profits [...]
Social media firms to be judged on safety standards ahead of new laws May 8, 2019 Social media firms will be judged on their ability to protect their users before tough new legislation is introduced, the culture secretary has warned. Jeremy Wright today said firms need to take greater action to crack down on harmful material posted to their platforms now or risk a clampdown from a future regulator. Read more: [...]
UK average broadband speeds rise by a fifth to hit superfast level May 8, 2019 Average broadband speeds in UK households have jumped 20 per cent over the last year, according to new figures from Ofcom. The regulator said average speeds have passed the 50Mbps mark – one of the most commonly-available levels of superfast broadband – for the first time, after an 18 per cent surge to 54.2Mbps. Read [...]
Russian state broadcaster RT is a ‘weapon of disinformation’, says Jeremy Hunt May 2, 2019 Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has slammed Russian state broadcaster RT, describing it as the country’s “weapon of disinformation”. Addressing an audience in Ethiopia, Hunt launched a searing attack on the channel, formerly known as Russia Today, over its coverage of the Salisbury novichok poisonings last year. Read more: Mirror publisher Reach revenues slip amid pressure on [...]
Which telecoms companies have the worst customer service? April 30, 2019 Talktalk has been named and shamed in a report into customer satisfaction at UK telecoms firms, ranking bottom of the table for the third year running. The latest report by regulator Ofcom revealed which broadband and phone companies have the most and least satisfied customers, based on the complaints it received last year. Read more: [...]