Neowin

Just 5% of eligible households in the UK are subscribed to a social broadband tariff. They are priced more reasonably for people on welfare who have tighter budgets but still need internet access.

A new Ookla report reveals the top countries with the fastest mobile and fixed internet speeds in Q12023. While Singapore leads the broadband space, UAE has the fastest mobile download speeds.

Vodafone UK broadband customers have been unable to get online this morning. Reports started coming in at 8:00 a.m. BST and the company is yet to rectify the issue at the time of writing.

Ofcom says it's going to take measures against broadband providers for failing to implement the One Touch Switch (OTS) process by the April 3 deadline. OTS would allow for easier broadband switching.

Ofcom has released lists of the best broadband and mobile companies in the UK based on the number of complaints they received. The report suggests Shell Energy was the worst among all.

UK broadband and mobile customers are going to be hit with price hikes this spring as operators attempt to keep up with their costs. Those who can are urged to look for cheaper deals elsewhere.

The consumer group Which? has urged people to look around for cheaper broadband, TV, and mobile deals to save money. It said people could cut £162 a year by switching to a cheaper provider.

Since Covid, many employees now work from home. However, a new study has shown that users with poor internet connections at home are costing the British economy an estimated £60 billion per year.

Ofcom has set out proposed changes to net neutrality rules. It could see providers throttle traffic of certain services at peak times, the introduction of premium packages by providers, and more.

Ofcom has revealed that the median average broadband speed has jumped 18% in the most recent year compared to the year before. Upload speeds are also increasing, but are well below download speeds.

The UK is extending its highspeed gigabit broadband network from the south to the east and the Midlands. For a long time, these regions did not have high-speed connectivity which will change soon.

The UK government is set to introduce laws to ensure broadband and mobile companies follow strict security protocols. Failure to do so will see firms get fined by Ofcom by as much as £100,000 per day.

Citizens Advice wants Ofcom to ban the loyalty penalty. Customers who stay with their mobile or broadband provider after their contract ends are hit with high costs. It's hurting low earners the most.

Ofcom has named and shamed the worst broadband and mobile companies in a new report. It has ranked each of the companies based on the number of complaints that have been received from customers.

The UK government has got broadband and mobile companies to commit to helping those struggling to pay broadband and mobile bills. The plans are multifaceted including advertising social tariffs.

Which? has found that broadband companies are not doing enough to advertise their social tariff broadband plans. It said vulnerable customers are missing out on savings of up to £250 per year.

Ofcom's latest Connected Nations report has found that 66% of homes in the UK can now access gigabit broadband ensuring they are prepared for a data-heavy future. 5G is also making progress.

People in the UK are saving £110 on average per year by switching providers when their contract is nearing its end. Ofcom makes providers notify customers that their current contract is due to end.

The UK government has plans in the work to ensure that all new-builds have gigabit broadband connections installed. This will ensure they're all future-proof and can get the fastest broadband.

Vodafone has helped 125,000 people in digital poverty get online so far. The firm has an aim of helping one million people get connected by the end of 2022 and its progress so far is encouraging.

Ofcom has released its annual Connected Nations report which outlines the state of connectivity in the UK. It found that just a quarter of people with access to FTTP broadband utilised it.

Virgin Media O2 is now supporting gigabit broadband across its whole network which means it has achieved a government goal four years early after just two years of work. It has more upgrades coming.

The UK's digital regulator has revealed data pertaining to some changes it introduced last year to help customers. It said its changes to broadband and mobile costs were saving people millions.

Ofcom has announced One Touch Switch making it easier to switch between broadband providers. The new system is complicated to implement so it won't be available to customers until April 2023.

Vodafone has updated its Pro Broadband offering to include a WiFi 6 booster which also has Amazon's Alexa AI built right in. Prices for the bundle start at £38 per month and can be ordered online.

Ookla's latest speed test report shows that Starlink has made major strides in the performance offered during the Q1-Q2 period in the U.S. If things continue like this, it may beat broadband speeds.

The UK government has announced that an additional 1.85 million premises in the UK will be getting gigabit broadband with government funds, according to its latest plans published today.

The GigaTAG group has outlined how the government can make gigabit broadband available to those on lower incomes. Measures include connection and device subsidies and digital skills training.

The German government is formulating a plan that would see it subsidise the hardware costs for internet satellite hardware from the likes of Starlink. Starlink sells this hardware for $499 normally.

Vodafone has announced new Pro Broadband packages which come with WiFi extenders and a dedicated support team to help you stay online. The routers also include back-up mobile data if WiFi fails.

Virgin Media recently trialled Infinera's XR Optics technology in its network to deliver speeds of up to 400 Gbps. Interestingly, this technology can be slotted into existing networks easily.

Ofcom has outlined new plans which will make switching broadband providers seamless. It's consulting on the plans right now and hopes to be enforcing the new rules by December 2022.

Nokia and Vodafone have become the first companies to trial 100-gigabit PON technology, delivering 100Gbps on a single wavelength. The tech could be commercially available in a few years.

Vodafone UK has said small businesses can now sign up to 36-month broadband contracts and get the first year free. The packages offer speeds of 35 Mbps and 63 Mbps with discounts for mobile users.

A committee of UK MPs has called on the government to lay out more details about its plans to connect 85% of premises to gigabit broadband by the year 2025 after it climbed down on previous plans.

U.S. lawmakers are expected to pass a bill that will require the removal of Huawei and ZTE equipment from mobile networks in the country. The bill also includes funding for low-income families.

Ofcom's research should that one in five have been struggling to keep up with their telecom bills. It has called on broadband providers to offer tariffs for those living on a low income.

The UK government has announced that it's scaling back ambitions to deploy gigabit broadband to 100% of residences by 2025. Instead, it has set a new target of 85% but the budget is unchanged.