Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, introduces robust measures to combat scam calls from abroad. By mandating that phone companies block calls with fake UK landline numbers, Ofcom aims to curb ‘spoofing’ and protect consumers. With BT successfully blocking up to one million calls daily, the initiative promises enhanced public safety and fewer scam calls.
Strategic Imperatives, a leading UK SaaS provider, has added Altnets Trooli and OFNL to its Fibre Café platform. This integration enhances access to the UK’s growing FTTx ecosystem, providing Trooli and OFNL with streamlined onboarding, automation, and competitive edge in the wholesale market.
Hyperoptic has secured a significant £150 million investment from the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB), accelerating their fibre-to-the-home rollout. This latest funding increases Hyperoptic’s total raised this year to £255 million, bringing overall funding to £1.1 billion. The investment highlights strong support for Hyperoptic’s mission to deliver ultra-reliable, hyperfast full fibre broadband.
Broadband infrastructure provider Openreach has unveiled plans to extend its full fibre broadband services to 517 additional locations across the UK, bringing fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) to an extra 2.7 million homes and businesses. This ambitious rollout includes 400,000 homes in rural areas, highlighting Openreach’s commitment to bridging the digital divide.
New research conducted by consultancy Cluttons in collaboration with YouGov has revealed significant doubts among Conservative MPs regarding the UK’s ability to achieve government targets for nationwide standalone 5G coverage by 2030. The study, which surveyed 104 MPs and 556 local councillors, found that only one-third of Conservative MPs (34%) expressed confidence in meeting the ambitious targets set by the government.
his week, the University of Bristol has powered up Isambard-AI, the UK’s fastest and most potent supercomputer, following a £225 million investment announced by the government last March. Built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Isambard-AI boasts over 5,000 NVIDIA superchips, enabling it to execute a staggering 200 quadrillion calculations per second. Officially named the AI Research Resource (AIRR), this supercomputer surpasses its predecessor by a factor of ten in computational power, aiming to support critical AI technology development.
The landscape of fibre broadband in the UK is rapidly evolving, with over a fifth of premises now enjoying the choice of two or more fibre broadband providers. This development can be attributed to the efforts of alternative network operators across the country.Recent data from Point Topic reveals that nearly two thirds of UK premises, totaling 20.4 million, now have access to fibre broadband as of March-end.
In a significant move aimed at bolstering cybersecurity across the country, the UK government has rolled out stringent regulations requiring manufacturers of internet-connected devices to adhere to minimum-security standards. The new laws, part of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act 2022, are designed to mitigate the risks posed by weak security features on smart gadgets.
A recent market study by INCA (Independent Networks Cooperative Association) and Point Topic reveals that alternative network builders in the UK have collectively expanded fibre infrastructure to more premises than BT’s Openreach unit. By the end of 2023, UK altnets had reached 12.9 million premises with fibre, exceeding Openreach’s coverage of 12.8 million.
Evidence reveals rising customer dissatisfaction with automated systems in UK businesses, according to a study by Cavell. Chatbots and similar technologies appear to fail in meeting customer service expectations, with 44% of respondents noting a quality slip in service over the past three years. Many UK adults still prefer human assistance in resolving issues, revealing a persistent demand for more personalised, efficient support mechanisms.
