O2, the communication giant that offers mobile broadband, is launching a marketing campaign to raise the profile of its new residential broadband service

Communications giant O2 has launched a marketing and advertising campaign to raise the profile of its new home broadband service, which is it offering on a nationwide basis to all UK homes. Using the BT wholesale network service O2 Home Broadband will be available in areas where the local BT phone exchange has not been unbundled.

As part of the launch of its residential broadband service the firm is ploughing six million pounds into marketing and advertising. The company wants to try and compete with the big boys in the broadband market, and is taking advantage of the competitiveness of the market. Having acquired Be Broadband in 2006 it was a while before O2 made an impact on the (more…)

Research by broadband comparison site Broadband Expert has revealed that the average speed of UK mobile broadband is 1.46Mbs. By comparison earlier surveys by the same company revealed home broadband services deliver average speeds of 2.95Mbs.

The survey carried out between February and March 2008, tested 1,213 mobile broadband connections with top download speeds ranging from 2.3Mbps for Vodafone to 1.1Mbps for T-Mobile and 1Mbps for Three.

Vodafone clocked by far the fastest download speeds, though advertising for their latest offering promise much faster speeds of up to 7.2Mbps (however some of the customers surveyed were on old offers advertising lesser speeds).

The average upload speed for all providers was registered as 0.38Mbps. Upload speed describes the speed that data can be (more…)

According to one industry official more than a million Brits could be enjoying the benefits of mobile broadband by the end of this year

In a recent speech, Kevin Russell, the Chief Executive of media giant 3, has said that he expects more than a million Brits to be using mobile broadband by the end of this year. Russell said that mobile broadband has really taken off, and said that since the launch of the firm’s mobile broadband service in the latter part of last year data traffic has rocketed on its 3G network with pay as you go mobile broadband deals proving particularly popular. (more…)

Communications giant O2 has launched its mobile broadband product, which will be available from the beginning of May

Mobile broadband has become increasingly popular over recent months, with many consumers deciding to take advantage of this technology due to increased flexibility and mobility. In a recent announcement O2 has now launched its mobile broadband service, which should be available to consumers from 1st May.

Reports indicate that the O2 mobile broadband service will offer speeds of up to 1.8Mbps, and these speeds will start to increase across the network up to 3.6Mbps from June. The service will cost £30 a month for consumers that are not currently O2 customers, but existing O2 customers can get the service for £20 per month as long as their primary O2 (more…)

In a recent report concerns have been raised with regards to how much traffic mobile broadband networks will be able to handle given the increasing popularity of mobile broadband

Since mobile broadband was launched it has quickly gained momentum, and the popularity of mobile broadband has rocketed, with some industry officials stating that there are now seven times more people using mobile data since the launch of this technology. However, some have expressed concerns over just how much traffic mobile networks can actually handle given the level of its popularity.

There are worries that the heavy traffic that could come with the rising uptake of mobile broadband could lead to slower downloading and browsing speeds, as well as various other problems relating to heavy traffic. It is therefore essential that (more…)

A study by UK broadband comparison site www.broadband-expert.co.uk has revealed that, on average, broadband customers receive just 48% of the advertised download speed. The study tested 41,230 broadband connections over February and March 2008 comparing the actual speed customers were achieving against the maximum speed quoted for their broadband package.

The research revealed significant differences between providers and packages with services quoting lower maximum speeds much more likely to get close to the advertised speed. The average actual speed achieved in the 16Mb+ category was a relatively low 8.6Mb and just 45% of the quoted maximum speeds. By comparison customers on 2Mb packages achieved on average 1.8Mb or 88% of the quoted maximum speed and customers on 8Mb achieved 3.4Mb or 43%. (more…)

Mobile broadband has enjoyed a huge surge in popularity, and this is reflected in new sales targets for employees working in this area

According to a recent report the popularity of mobile broadband has rocketed recently, with more gadgets and devices on the market for those that want to enjoy high speed mobile broadband, as well as an increase in the number of providers offering mobile broadband services. And the recent statistics relating to the popularity of mobile broadband have also had a knock on effect on other workers within the industry, with sales employees in the mobile broadband industry now having higher targets to meet in line with the increase in popularity.

Officials from the communications giant Phones 4U have announced that the sales targets for its staff members in relation to the sale of mobile broadband have been doubled to reflect the rising demand for this type of service. One senior official (more…)

According to a recent report the popularity of mobile broadband has been rocketing, with an increased number of devices offering high speed access and an increased number of providers

Broadband has come a long way over recent years, and more recently many people have joined the mobile broadband revolution resulting in a massive surge in the popularity of mobile broadband. A recent report from the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has shown that there has been an increase in the number of devices that offer high speed mobile broadband access, and an increase in the number of providers offering this service.

The number of mobile broadband suppliers has risen from just 62 one year ago to around 100 according to the GSA. There are also 637 different devices available that offer mobile broadband speeds of up to 7.2MB. One provider, Three, reported that following its offer of cheap USB modems and tariffs last year it has seen a seven hundred percent increase in data traffic.

An official from Three did state, however, that it is unlikely that mobile broadband would replace standard home (more…)

Illegal music downloads have prove problematic for music and broadband providers for some time, and they are now formulating a plan to try and cut back on this practice

For many years the subject of illegal music downloads by broadband customers has been a sore point for both broadband and music industry officials. With officials claiming that they are losing money hand over fist as a result of such illegal downloading activities, officials from both industries have now come together to try and put together a plan that will help to eliminate this sort of practice.

According to a recent report major music labels are joining forces with broadband providers to formulate add on packages for broadband subscriptions that will enable the consumers to enjoy unlimited music downloads if they have subscribed to (more…)

In a recent announcement O2 has stated that its pay as you go mobile customers can enjoy the same discounted broadband prices as its pay monthly customers

In a recent announcement communications giant O2 has announced that it will be extending its discounted broadband prices to customers that are on a pay as you go mobile service with O2 as well as those that are on a pay monthly contract deal. In the past, those that were on a pay monthly deal enjoyed discounted prices on their broadband, but those on pay as you go and non-O2 services had to pay an extra five pounds per month for their broadband service.

In a service that was launched in the final quarter of last year O2 has been offering three broadband speeds, which are 8MB, 16MB, and 20MB. Officials from O2 state that customers that are on pay as you go mobile services with the provider (more…)

Parents that are concerned that their kids may access inappropriate websites may find the new service, KidZui, invaluable

Over recent years, with broadband becoming far more accessible and far more affordable for families with children, an increasing number of households have decided to invest in a broadband connection and package. Many parents have found that having broadband available can help their kids enormously when it comes to research for educational projects and school work.

However, there is also a darker side to the level of access that many kids now have to the Internet through their broadband connections, and many parents are also concerned about their children accessing inappropriate or even (more…)

A recent warning to parents with broadband connections has reflected how many kids are spending most of their free time online

According to a recent report the parents of kids that have broadband connections in their homes have been given a warning by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) over the length of time young kids are now spending online for purposes other than work and education. Lower cost broadband has given kids the opportunity to spend more time online, and many are taking this to unhealthy levels, spending all of their free time online.

Having a broadband connection at an affordable price offering ‘unlimited’ access to the Internet at a fixed price has proven very useful for parents and their kids, as it has given them a valuable yet (more…)

As competition in the broadband industry gets tougher providers are continuing to try and entice custom with a variety of deals

Broadband in the UK continues to be competitive, and as broadband providers strive to try and stay a step ahead of the competition they are continuing to offer improvements, new deals, and special offers to customers in order to try and get one over on the competition. March has seen a number of announcements made from broadband providers, ranging from everything from extended networks and increased speeds to contract-free broadband services.

Be Broadband, which is owned by O2, has recently announced that it will be extending its network, and this will mean that (more…)

In this age of broadband we do many things online, from reading the news to doing the shopping – it now seems that we are set to watch out favourite shows online too

Narrowstep, which is a provider of Internet television services, is expecting the popularity of online television to soar considerably over the course of this year, stating that an increasing number of broadcasters are using the Internet in (more…)

Government officials have recently announced that there is to be a review of the future of broadband in the UK. This announcement comes following concerns expressed over recent months with regards to the UK falling behind when it comes to next generation broadband and the technology that is required to support it.

There have been calls from the industry to urge the government to help with the funding required to install the necessary infrastructure to support next generation broadband in the UK. The government has now stated that it wants to develop a better understanding of how to prepare the country for the “next generation broadband networks”.

The former chief executive of telecoms firm Cable & Wireless, Francesco Caio, will be heading up the review according to (more…)

Over recent years switching broadband provider has been something of a nightmare for many customers, but falling complaints suggest the problem is easing

In the past broadband customers have experienced a number of problems when trying to switch broadband from one provider to another. In addition to spending time trying to talk customers out of switching, some broadband providers were also using stalling tactics by making it as difficult as possible for customers to get the necessary Migration Authorisation Code (MAC) to enable them to switch to another provider.

Last year officials from Ofcom, the communications regulator, acknowledge that this was a problem, and introduced more stringent regulations with regards to this issue including General Condition 22 (GC22), which means that broadband providers had only five days within which to provide consumers with the necessary MAC to switch. One official from Ofcom stated: ‘We acted in February to make service providers hand over Macs to consumers who wanted to switch.’

It now looks as though the action that was taken by Ofcom with regards to these migration codes has started to have a positive effect, as the number of complaints registered relating to these codes has fallen. According to recent figures there were eight hundred and twenty five MAC related complaints received by Ofcom as reported in March 2007. However, earlier this year Ofcom reported that the complaints had fallen significantly to five hundred and seventeen MAC related complaints.

One Ofcom official stated: “Ensuring that consumers are able to switch their broadband supplier quickly, easily and with minimal service disruption remains a priority for Ofcom. We have therefore decided to extend the GC22 enforcement programme for a further six months. Industry players should now expect that Ofcom may proceed directly to individual notifications of contravention without any further warnings where our investigation of an ISP demonstrates sufficient evidence of contravention of GC22.”

We’ve seen a real change with broadband providers trying to offer more freebies in an increasingly competitive market with BT’s offer of a free home hub with BT Option 1 (their cheapest broadband package). BT have also included access to BT  Vision, their digital TV service.

AOL have taken the lead with innovative offers with their free Playstation 3 and free laptop offers.

Whilst these offers appear to be great for consumers it’s always worth checking the length of the contract as many providers are looking for a commitment to a longer contract (than the standard 12 months).

It’s worth noting that the free BT home hub offers ends on the last day of February, for more details on the offer visit the BT website.

Broadband users all over the UK have been testing their speeds and as a result of the 18,558 tests carried out in January on broadband comparison site Broadband Expert, the average speed in the UK is a pitiful 2.95Mb.
The results varied enormously with the lowest download speed being 1.72Mb from Tiscali, through to the highest average of 6.07Mb with Be broadband. Download speed describes the rate at which a computer downloads information from the internet like emails, web pages, music and video. The higher download speeds of Be, who also provide the technology behind the O2 broadband service, is partially due to the ADSL2+ technology which allows much greater speeds to be achieved. Most providers currently provide their broadband connections through the more traditional ADSL technology.
“Despite ongoing pressure from Ofcom and various consumer groups broadband providers are still misleading the public over broadband speeds,” said William Harvey, Broadband-Expert.co.uk Technical Director.“Current advertising campaigns like the one for Tiscali broadband promise superfast broadband (download) speeds of up to 8Mb. Yet the average actual speed achieved by Tiscali customers was a pitiful lowly 1.72Mb. Now that is not superfast by any stretch of the imagination (more…)

We’ve had a few emails recently with regards to obtaining broadband MAC codes from internet providers so I thought I would clear up a few of the commonly asked questions.

The MAC code exists to allow you to transfer from one ADSL broadband provider to a new provider smoothly and with no or minimum downtime. The MAC code was initially a voluntary code signed up to by a number of ISPs but is now enforced by OFCOM, the industry regulators policy.

If you call your ADSL broadband provider to cancel the subscription they may try to persuade you to stay with them by offering you a better deal. If you still want to move you can insist they provide your MAC code and they should do so.

For more details of how to obtain you MAC code see our guides to MAC Codes and switching broadband provider.

The number of LLU lines in the UK is close to the four million barrier, reflecting the popularity of direct broadband within the UK

A recent report from the Office of The Telecoms Adjudicator has shown that as of the end of January of this year there were 3,931,000 LLU lines that have been connected across the UK. This figure, which is just short of the four million barrier, reflects the popularity of direct line broadband in the UK, and reflects the connection of around two million new lines within the space of a year.

An increasing number of broadband providers are now providing broadband direct rather than through BT equipment. The Office of The Telecoms Adjudicator confirmed that demand appears to remain strong. The report also shows that there are 4.56 million WLR lines, and that CPs are continuing to implement their network strategies.
In its report the Office of The Telecoms Adjudicator congratulated Openreach. The report read: ‘ It seems appropriate to begin this update by congratulating Openreach on the extremely successful deployment of the R700 software upgrade to the EMP platform, which took place over the weekend of 19th January. This was the largest and most complex release (more…)

Some of the biggest names in UK broadband are being urged to take action to try and put a stop to illegal downloads

According to a recent report four of the biggest name broadband providers in the UK are being urged to take action against customers that perform illegal downloads. The report claims that for the past six months Hollywood movie companies have been liaising with media giants BT, Tiscali, Orange, and Virgin Media, in a bid to make them act against customers that download content illegally.

The report also claims that new legislation could be coming in to place, which would mean that these providers have to take action against those that either download content illegally or do not download safely. This could involve these customers being banned from using the Internet. Action may be taken in three stages, with the first being a written warning, the (more…)

Although they have not been officially told about the move hundreds of thousands of Pipex customers are being moved across to the Tiscali network

According to a recent report hundreds of thousands of Pipex customers that were bought by Tiscali are being moved over to the Tiscali LLU network, but have not officially been told about the move. The five hundred and seventy thousand Pipex customers were bought by Tiscali last year and are now being integrated to the Tiscali network, which is causing some problems.

The report suggests that the Pipex customers that are now being integrated to the Tiscali network have been suffering a range of problems whilst the integration takes place, and this includes broadband outages and interruptions to their (more…)

Virgin Media has announced that customers on its ‘L’ package will be receiving a free broadband speed upgrade to 10MB

Customers of Virgin Media received some welcome news earlier this week after the media giant announced that it would be upgrading the broadband speeds of those on the ‘L’ package to 10MB at no extra charge. At present those on the ‘L’ package receive broadband Internet speeds of 4MB. However, Virgin Media plans to roll out the implementation of the upgrade over the coming months, starting from the end of this month.

It is hoped that the upgrades will be completed across the country by the summer of this year, with Virgin Media planning to roll out the upgrades on a region by region basis. The decision of the media giant to upgrade those on 4MB to 10MB (more…)

Recent reports suggest that a network firm is planning to install fibre through the sewers, and this could mean speeds of up to 100MB

According to a recent report a North Wales company, called H20 Networks, is planning to install fibre networking through the sewers, which could mean speeds of up to 100MB as well as cutting out the costs association with digging up and repairing roads. There is still speculation over which area will become the first town to see the benefits of the fibre installation, but it is likely to be Dundee, Northampton, or Bournemouth.

This has become known as the FOCUS Network, which is an abbreviation for the Fibre Optical Cable Underground Sewer Network. Experts state that because the firm is planning to install the fibre through the sewers rather than via the roads, a (more…)

This year’s ISP award nominations have been announced, with providers hoping to walk away with an award on 14th March

The winners of the tenth annual ISP Awards are due to be announced in March 14th, and the nominations for these awards have now been revealed. A total of sixteen categories make up these awards, and the winner are to be announced at the Marriott Grosvenor Square, London, on 14th March.

Amongst the categories that form these awards are best consumer ISP, and a number of providers have been nominated for this award, including Orange, Virgin Media, Tiscali, and BT. This award was scooped by Virgin Media last year, but a lot can happen in the world of ISPs in one year, so Virgin (more…)

In a similar move to Orange and AOL last year Three mobile is now offering a free laptop to those that take up its mobile broadband package

With the number of broadband providers on the rise competitive in this industry has become increasingly tough, and providers have had to find new and inventive ways to entice customers and stay a step ahead of the competition. Last year saw AOL and Orange offering free laptops in conjunction with Carphone Warehouse and PC World to those that signed up for broadband contracts. This year Three has decided to use the same tempting offer to entice customers to sign up for its mobile broadband package.

In order to take advantage of the free laptop offer customers will need to sign up to an eighteen month contract via the Carphone Warehouse for the Complete Mobile Broadband Package. The cost of the service is £35 per month, and as long as (more…)

Recently released data shows that in 2007 the level of complaints relating to broadband soared

A recent report has revealed that out of a list of top ten complaint types compiled for 2007, the broadband industry came ninth. However, in terms of the level at which complaints rose in 2007 the broadband sector came in at second, with first place being taken by the mobile phone industry in relation to service contracts.

Recent figures show that in 2007 there was a rise of forty three percent in the level of complaints relating to broadband. The report shows that there were 13,536 broadband complaints recorded by Consumer Direct in 2007 compared to 9,436 for 2006.

An official from Consumer Direct stated: “The rise in complaints in 2007 reflects, in part, a growing awareness of the service among the general public as well as an increasing willingness among consumers to complain when they buy (more…)

According to a recent report Ofcom is planning to launch an investigation into hidden broadband and mobile charges in 2008

The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, is planning to launch an investigation into hidden charges on broadband and mobiles in the New Year, according to a recent report. Reports suggest that the investigation will be conducted to weed out these hidden charges, which are known to significantly inflate bills, and to ensure that the charges are justified and transparent.

One industry professional stated: “Although headline prices have been dropping consistently over the past few year, even to the point of TalkTalk’s pioneering ‘free broadband. ISPs have found numerous ways to boost their profits through (more…)

A recent report has shown that families in the UK are enjoying amongst the best prices in Europe on broadband, phone, and television bundles

Over recent years the UK has seen a rising number of broadband providers enter the market, which has made the world of broadband increasingly competitive. In order to offer the most competitive deals these providers have bundled together broadband, television, and telephone services, so that consumers can save more money by taking all three services together, and these bundles have proven very popular amongst households in the UK.

According to a recent report from Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, families and households in the UK are getting amongst the best value for money on their broadband, telephone, and television bundle packages when compared to other (more…)

Ofcom, the communications regulator in the UK, has been asked to produce a standard code of practice for broadband providers to use in advertising

According to a recent report the UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has been asked to produce a standard code for broadband providers to use when advertising Internet connection speeds. The request has been made by the Ofcom Consumer Panel, which represents the interest of the general public, and the panel has asked for a mandatory standard code to be introduced. Broadband connection speeds have been the subject of fierce controversy for some time, with (more…)

Talk Talk has become the latest in a line of broadband service providers to get a roasting from the Advertising Standards Agency

The UK’s advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Agency, has pulled up another broadband service provider over advertising following a complaint from rival broadband provider BT. Talk Talk is the latest in a line of broadband service provider that has been pulled up by the advertising watchdog over advertising. This follows the provider’s advertisement (more…)

A recent report has looked at how broadband numbers have increased in the UK and what the future hold for broadband popularity

Over recent years the popularity of broadband has increased considerably throughout the UK, and this has resulted in more and more households and businesses benefiting from this technology. This has been aided by the ever-increasing choice of broadband provider coupled with some very good deals on broadband packages in terms of speed and cost, enabling more people to afford greater access to broadband services throughout the UK.

A recent report compiled by Point Topic has looked at what the future holds in terms of popularity of broadband services in the UK, and based on continuing growth the UK is set to have twenty one millions broadband customers by the end of (more…)

Point topic has recently released a report that shows the level of Internet popularity amongst businesses in the UK

According to a recent report from Point Topic there has been very little change in Internet take up amongst UK businesses since March of this year. The figures showed that in October around eighty five percent of the 2.12 million UK workplaces had Internet access, which was roughly the same as in March. This equates to around 1.76 million businesses according to the figures.

Previously, between May 2006 and March 2007 there was an increase of 6.3 percent in Internet take up amongst UK businesses according to the report, and this was during a period when broadband development was still ongoing. The (more…)

Despite having taken action to make broadband switching easier and less disruptive the communications regulator Ofcom has recently admitted that there are still problems when it comes to switching broadband providers in the UK. The majority of households in the UK are now signed up to broadband, but many decide to switch broadband providers for one of a range of reasons such as poor value for money, lack of service, and a variety of other problems.

However, according to Ofcom customers do not find it easy to switch provider because of stalling tactics that are used by (more…)

Earlier this year the Post Office, which has diversified into many different areas over recent years, launched its own broadband service, joining the long line of providers that offer this high tech service to consumers in the UK. According to a recent report the Post Office is enjoying success withy its broadband service, and has enjoyed an increasing customer base. Figures show that Post Office broadband is proving a hit with many consumers, and in particular with silver surfers who (more…)

Over recent years an increasing number of consumers in the UK have decided to subscribe to broadband through one of the many different providers that are offering their services on the market these days. Consumers have enjoyed low cost prices, increasing speeds, and value for money on their broadband, which goes some way to explaining the popularity of (more…)

According to a recent report from the media giant Sky, its broadband service has managed to attract over a million customers since it was launched just over a year ago. He Sky broadband service was launched just fourteen months ago, and since then customer have flocked to take up the service. With other big names such as Virgin losing customers hand over fist it seems that Sky broadband came along at just the right time for both customers that wanted improved service (more…)

According to a recent report Virgin is due to show figures that suggest that the number of customers leaving the media giant has fallen during the third quarter of the year, and many think that this will lead the communications giant to claim that it is turning business around, despite continuing problems. Virgin has seen a mass exodus of customers due to a (more…)

Over recent years more and more households in the UK have been joining the broadband gang, with the number of households in the UK that have broadband connections rising rapidly. And as the popularity of broadband has grown the number of Inter Service Providers offering low cast deals for high speed broadband has also rocketed, with consumers having more choice and better value for money than ever. (more…)

Brightview, which is the parent company of Madasafish and Global Internet, has announced that as from the end of October of this year both brands will come under the Madasafish brand. Although the Global Internet name will now switch to Madasafish customers of both brands have been reassured that there will be no real changes to worry about as a result of the two brands coming together under one name.

Customers of both Madasafish and Global Internet will be able to continue with their price package and will continue to (more…)

A petition that has been set up on the 10 Downing Street website in support of clearer broadband information relating to Internet speeds has been quickly gaining momentum according to recent reports. The Crystal Clear Broadband campaign was set up recently after testing revealed that under fifty percent of broadband consumers were receiving the broadband speeds that they had signed up for. In fact, according to research and test results around sixty two percent of broadband users were receiving speeds of below fifty percent of the speed that they should have been receiving.

A number of broadband agencies and professionals are involved in the setting up of the campaign, the aim of which is to improve the clarity of broadband speeds for consumers and to ensure that Ofcom, the communications regulator, and the broadband industry as a whole works to improve transparency for consumers when it comes to their broadband speeds. The level of consumers failing to receive their full Internet speeds was obtained through performing nearly two hundred thousand speed tests.

According to reports the petition has already received over one thousand signatures. It aims to ensure that Internet Service Providers are clear about broadband speeds before the consumers actually signs up to a contract. It also calls on Ofcom to introduce independent speed testing to benefit consumers that want to get further clarification on actual speeds that different service providers offer.

One broadband industry professional stated: “ISPs need to be clear about the sort of speed each line can support - before customers sign up. ISPs have the tools to give much better estimates for consumers but refuse to because the maximum (more…)

With concerns over the UK lagging behind when it comes to the future of broadband, Ofcom has now become involved in talks on the future of the UK’s broadband services

Over recent months there has been concern over how the UK is lagging behind when it comes to the future of broadband, with inadequate technology in place to cope with the higher speeds of the future. Other countries are already utilizing technology, such as fiber based networks, that enable them to embrace higher speeds and advanced broadband technology. However, some experts have expressed concerns that the UK will be unable to keep up with broadband advancements because of the lack of technology in place.

It has now been announced that a summit is to be held with the broadband industry by the former e-commerce minister and minister for competitiveness, Stephen Timms. The summit will help to determine whether government intervention and funding is necessary to get the UK on track for advanced broadband services and increased speeds. Ofcom will now be involved in this debate, helping to determine the UK’s broadband future when it comes to keeping up with other countries.

Mr Timms stated: “When I became e-commerce minister five years ago, the UK was neck and neck with Croatia on broadband availability and use. We fixed that problem and put Britain in a leading position. However, today we face a new challenge. Other countries are starting to invest in new, fibre-based infrastructure, delivering considerably higher bandwidth than is available in the UK today.” He added: “It is essential that the UK undertakes timely deployment of technology - we can’t lag behind.”

The Chief Executive of BT’s Openreach has already expressed interest in investing in fibre networking for new homes. He stated: “The government has said there is going to be a major acceleration in housebuilding and, for Openreach, putting fibre into the ground is just as easy as putting copper into the ground. However, that does not help end users at all unless service providers - BT Retail, Carphone, Sky, Tiscali etc - come and play too and develop products.”

In the past Internet Service Providers that wanted to attract more customers often gave away freebies and special deals, such as free upgrades on broadband speeds or some free television channels for a limited period for those on bundle packages. However, it looks as though the competition is getting even tougher now, as a couple of broadband providers (more…)

After the acquisition of the Internet Service Provider Be Unlimited, at a cost of fifty million pounds, it was only a matter of time before communications giant O2 launched its own broadband service. This has now been scheduled for launch in mid-October, and is expected to be accessible by around fifty percent of consumers, many of which will be in urban areas. (more…)

With heightened competition amongst broadband providers consumers are urged to keep comparing deals to ensure that they get the best package

Over the past few years competition between broadband providers in the UK has become increasingly tougher, with ISPs offering everything from free upgrades to free laptops in order to try and entice customers to sign up for their broadband services or bundle deals. However, industry experts are warning consumers not to get sucked in by seemingly impressive deals that could mean compromising on service, and to make sure that they do their research and shop around to get a deal that offers good service and high quality rather than a low rate service that offers impressive freebies.

According to many officials customers should not assume that those offering cheap bundled services are going to necessarily provide the best service and quality, as in some cases better service is achieved by going through individual (more…)

According to a report released by the Office of National Statistics recently, the popularity of broadband in the UK is still rising

Over recent years the popularity of broadband connections in the UK has been steadily rising, with more and more households and individuals signing up broadband connections. This popularity boost has been partly fuelled through increased availability to broadband services in different areas, an increase in the number of broadband providers, and increased affordability with great value available on broadband packages as competition between Internet Service Providers gets fiercer.

According to a recent report released by the Office of National Statistics in the UK the popularity of broadband in the UK is continuing to rise. Figures from June 2007 showed that over eight six percent of Internet connections in the UK were (more…)

BT has recently proven its determination to maintain the number one spot as broadband provider, after announcing that t now has more than four million customers

Following its acquisition of Plusnet last year, coupled with huge success with customers in the UK, communications giant British Telecom has announced that it now has over four million customers, and is the first broadband provider to reach this level of customers, helping it to maintain its number one spot as broadband provider in the UK. When it acquired Plusnet BT netted nearly two hundred thousand customers in one feel swoop, which helped it to break the impressive four million barrier.

The chief executive of BT Retail stated: “Four million customers is a great achievement in such a short time. Broadband has proved to be one of the most popular new services ever seen. It is already delivering next generation television, (more…)

If online gaming is a favourite pastime then you may be able to enjoy a far smoother experience with BB4G

Online gaming is big business in the UK, and with the growth of broadband popularity and accessibility the growth of online gaming has also boomed over recent years. However, many online gamers have been dogged by various problems that makes their gaming experience less enjoyable and more of a hassle. Freedom2surf claims to have the answer to these problems, stating that online gamers can enjoy a far smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience through its new broadband package targeted specifically at online gaming enthusiasts.

The new broadband package for gamers from Freedom2surf is called BB4G, which stands for ‘Broadband 4 Gamers’. According to officials from Freedom2surf the choppy gaming experience that many gamers have to put up with could soon become a thing of the past. The broadband package aims to provide a quick connection and fast speeds to gaming servers, (more…)

The Advertising Standards Agency has criticized Tiscali over its advertising in relation to broadband prices

It seems as though the Advertising Standards Agency in the UK really has its work cut out when it comes to broadband providers at the moment. It is already dealing with a complaint made by Sky about misleading advertising from Virgin, and has had to deal with a flood of complaints relating to misleading advertising from a number of Internet Service Providers over claims of ‘unlimited’ broadband that is not actually unlimited because of the fair usage policies that are in place.

Another case that the Advertising Standards Agency has been dealing with involves broadband provider Tiscali. The case involves a radio advertisement that was run by Tiscali, and which received complaints and criticism from British Telecom as well as from a number of members of the public. Upon investigation of the radio advertisement from Tiscali, the Advertising Standards Agency decided