Category: Regulation

Ofcom has issued a large fine of £28 million to Virgin Media for the effort and hassle it made customers go through to switch to another broadband provider in the period of January 2022 to September 2024. The problems are pretty negated today in terms of volume because the One Touch Switching system that came […]

The Advertising Standard Authority (ASA UK) has issued a ruling admonishing Grain Connect for a marketing e-mail where it made references to YouFibre and Brsk and its pending acquisition by Virgin Media. The e-mail sent in March included the text: “IMPORTANT NEWS: Virgin Media are taking over YouFibre & BRSK [..] Got friends with YouFibre […]

The Competition and Markets Authority has started its phase 2 investigation that will delve into the detail of the acquisition of Substantial (Netomnia i.e. Brsk and YouFibre) by Liberty Global, Telefónica and InfraVia (nexfibre). nexfibre and Substantial asked the CMA on 11th June 2026 to fast track the phase 2 investigation and has started the […]

Olilo who describe themselves as broadband redefined for speed-freaks, sysadmins and home lab heroes has signed up to the Telecoms Consumer Charter. Three key parts of the consumer charter are: For Olilo the mid-contract price rises is easy, they don’t appear to do mid-contract price rises and even offer a rolling monthly contract for those […]

The Telecoms Consumer Charter aims to build on the legal obligations imposed on all broadband providers by getting providers volunteer to be fairer and clearer with their customers, without all the extra work and cost of even more Ofcom legislation. Hyperoptic has been announced as signing up to the charter joining BT Group, Virgin Media […]

InfraVia Capital, which jointly owns nexfibre with Virgin Media O2’s shareholders Liberty Global and Telefónica, has warned (via The Times, paywall) that there could be a risk to investment in broadband if Openreach is allowed to monopolise this market. The company has said that its plans to invest to reach up to 20 million premises […]

The Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed that Sir Ian Cheshire will take on the role as Chair of Ofcom. We will succeed Lord Michael Grade whose term ended at the end of April 2026. The appointment was expected after the parliamentary committee endorsed him to take on the role. “Sir Ian brings exactly the […]

Back in April, the Government named Sir Ian Cheshire as its preferred candidate for Chair of telecoms regulator Ofcom. This role is subject to parliamentary hearings before the appointment is confirmed. Sir Ian was previously chair of Channel 4 so had extensive broadcasting experience and a strong governance background, however there were concerns about his […]

The Online Safety Act has been somewhat controversial in its outlawing of content which in other countries is constitutionally protected. It was however designed to help keep people, especially children, safe online. One person’s free speech is another’s hate speech, and many governments have started adopted a more aggressive stance. Website operators in the U.S. […]

Ofcom has opened a consultation on proposed changes to guidance for telecommunications companies on reporting security incidents. The Telecoms Security Act places obligations on operators to provide certain information to the regulator (including on security incidents), and have systems place to protect their networks The regulator is setting ‘clearer reporting thresholds’ for mobile operators based […]