UK launches ‘Tyche’ satellite to bolster military intelligence 

The UK Ministry of Defence has successfully launched its first wholly-owned satellite, 'Tyche', designed to provide crucial Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The satellite will be the bedrock of a planned constellation of similar spacecraft, bolstering the UK's space-based defence capabilities by 2031.

Tyche, roughly the size of a washing machine, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of...

19 August 2024 | Legislation & Government

UK Government pledges £800M towards rural broadband upgrade

Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across rural Britain, long plagued by sluggish internet speeds, are set for a major connectivity upgrade as the UK Government pledges up to £800 million to modernise broadband infrastructure.

For the first time, Wales – currently lagging behind with the lowest percentage of gigabit coverage – will benefit from the scheme. Remote areas such as the South Wales Valleys, Exmoor National Park, and the Forest of Bowland will finally...

13 August 2024 | Broadband

Net neutrality rules suspended by federal appeals court

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has dealt a significant blow to net neutrality advocates by blocking the recently reinstated rules from taking effect. This decision extends an earlier temporary pause, effectively putting net neutrality on hold until further notice.

The court granted a stay after reviewing petitions from broadband providers who opposed the rule. In their ruling, the panel of judges stated that the internet service providers (ISPs) had "successfully showed they...

2 August 2024 | Broadband

Ofcom tightens rules to combat foreign scam calls

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has introduced new measures to protect consumers from scam calls originating overseas. The strengthened industry guidance, announced today, requires phone companies to block calls from abroad that falsely display UK landline numbers.

This move aims to tackle a common tactic used by fraudsters who 'spoof' trusted phone numbers to deceive victims. By imitating numbers from reputable organisations or government departments, scammers increase...

30 July 2024 | 5G

Ofcom hits BT with £17.5M fine over emergency call system failure

Ofcom has imposed a £17.5 million fine on BT for its inadequate preparedness in handling a major disruption to its emergency call service last summer. The incident, which occurred on 25 June 2023, left nearly 14,000 emergency call attempts unsuccessful and potentially put lives at risk.

The failure, described as "catastrophic," affected BT's ability to connect calls to emergency services for over 10 hours, from 06:24 to 16:56. During this period, 12,392 different callers were...

22 July 2024 | Legislation & Government

Ofcom cracks down on unpredictable telecom price hikes

Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, will require telecoms providers to clearly state any price increases in pounds and pence upfront, giving customers more certainty about their monthly outgoings.

The new regulations are set to take effect from 17 January 2025 and come in response to the growing trend of major UK phone, broadband, and pay TV companies including inflation-linked price rises in their contracts. Ofcom found that this practice left customers without sufficient...

19 July 2024 | 5G

Germany prolongs banning Chinese 5G equipment

Germany has announced plans to ban critical components made by Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE from its 5G networks, citing security concerns. The decision – revealed by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Thursday – will be implemented in two phases starting in 2026, with a longer timeline than initially expected.

Under the new agreement, critical components from Huawei and ZTE will be barred from 5G core networks by the end of 2026, a year later than previously envisaged....

11 July 2024 | 5G

5G and security: The dual telecoms challenges facing the new UK government

As the newly elected Labour government takes office in the UK after 14 years of Conservative rule, industry leaders are calling for urgent action on cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.

The recent high-profile cyberattacks on critical organisations like the NHS and MoD have exposed significant vulnerabilities in the UK's digital defences, prompting experts to demand a more robust approach to cybersecurity and accelerated 5G rollout.

Mark Coates, VP EMEA at Gigamon,...

5 July 2024 | 5G

FCC moves to strengthen internet routing security

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has unveiled a proposal aimed at bolstering the security of America's networks against cyberattacks by improving internet routing security.

The new initiative mandates that ISPs produce confidential reports detailing their efforts and plans to address vulnerabilities in the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), a fundamental technical protocol used for routing information across the internet.

Under the proposal, the largest broadband...

7 June 2024 | Broadband

Committee warns UK set to miss 4G coverage target

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee's report on the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme reveals critical issues in meeting the UK government's 95% 4G coverage goal by December 2025.

Launched in 2020, the SRN aims to improve 4G coverage from 91.4% to 95% of the UK landmass. Despite a steady increase to 93.1%, sustaining this progress becomes increasingly challenging as the remaining areas are harder to reach.

The report highlights that three out of four mobile...

3 June 2024 | Legislation & Government