Revealed: The best and worst 4G operators in London December 16, 2016 Mobile signal. It's a constant source of frustration and debate among friends and colleagues – and conversations often centre on which operator is worst. And let's be honest, when that emblem in the top corner of our phone turns from 4G to "E" or "GPRS", our hearts sigh. "How can it be there is no coverage when I'm in the middle [...]
Murdoch swoops: 21st Century Fox agrees Sky takeover deal December 15, 2016 Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox today agreed a takeover deal for UK broadcaster Sky. Fox, which already owns 39 per cent of Sky, has made a £10.75-per-share offer, worth £11.7bn. The approach values the whole of the UK media giant at £18.5bn. Fox said it would be using a scheme of arrangement, meaning it would need 75 [...]
Shortlist narrows for BBC chairmanship December 14, 2016 The shortlist for the new BBC chairmanship has narrowed to around six, with the government aiming to name the successful candidate early next year. Former Prudential chairman and Bank of England deputy governor Sir David Clementi, who was one of the architects of the new system under which the position has been created, is reported to [...]
The 53 countries where you get better mobile signal than the UK December 14, 2016 Finding a lack of mobile coverage irksome? Perhaps it's time to move country. The UK's 4G coverage is actually worse than you'll find in Albania, Peru and Morocco. In fact, an astonishing 53 countries around the world have better signal according to a report calling on the government to push for better access across the country, or [...]
Can Ofcom force through Openreach split? BT trustees believe it could bust pension scheme December 13, 2016 A BT Openreach separation could tip the telecoms giant's pension scheme into insolvency leaving a £10bn black hole, its pension trustees fear. Trustees voiced concerns in a redacted note responding to Ofcom’s proposals to legally separate the company that runs Britain’s telecoms infrastructure from the wider BT group. Because, according to the trustees’ note, a [...]
BT’s creating 500 new jobs to boost customer service December 12, 2016 BT is creating 500 new jobs in the UK and Ireland to help improve its customer service, which has come under pressure in recent weeks from regulators. Most roles, which come in addition to 1,000 previously promised jobs, will be frontline consumer ones based in call centres in Swansea, Warrington, Doncaster and Accrington. Read more: BT boss [...]
Banning junk food ads won’t stem the flow of fat kids December 12, 2016 For anyone who grew up in the nineties, advertising and children’s television were one and the same – for every ten minutes of Power Rangers, there would be five minutes of ads for Sunny D and awful American cereal. Invariably some garish, multicoloured cartoon character would jump out of the television, screaming demands like an Isis [...]
TalkTalk hits out at ultrafast fibre network critics December 11, 2016 Broadband provider TalkTalk has shot back at rival BT over claims it would not be able to build its own fibre broadband network in the UK. A report by Analysys Mason, commissioned by BT, and submitted to regulator Ofcom found the development of a third ultrafast broadband network in the UK was “highly unlikely”. However, [...]
Political opposition to Murdoch takeover of Sky mounts December 10, 2016 Former Labour leader Ed Miliband, former business secretary Vince Cable and influential campaign group Hacked Off have all voiced their opposition to the possibility of a 21st Century Fox takeover of Sky. Although media analysts appear to believe the deal is unlikely to be blocked by regulators, the news has attracted a number of objections in the [...]
Britain’s broadband boost: Regulator wants an infrastructure shake-up to reduce dependency on BT Openreach December 6, 2016 BT will be forced to share vital fixed line infrastructure with rivals in order to "reduce the country’s reliance on Openreach" under proposals by Britain's telecoms regulator. Ofcom today revealed plans it hoped would make it "quick and easier" for the likes of Vodafone,TalkTalk and Sky to build their own fibre networks. Openreach maintains the UK's main telecoms infrastructure [...]