All Ofcom articles
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Public AffairsNI report criticises past public broadband projects
Audit Office report cannot verify that two broadband projects “ achieved value for money ”. High service take-up rates suggest not all public funding was needed. NI expected to claw back £14m of public funds from BT. Hopes for £165m Project Stratum to deliver better outcome ...
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Network & Infrastructure
O2 deal with Vodafone to supplement spectrum gains
Ofcom closes assignment stage of UK spectrum auction with O2 trading blocks with Vodafone, while BT opts to buy preferable positions outright. O2–Vodafone trade ensures contiguous spectrum blocks in 5G‑ready bands.
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach doubles rural fibre targets
Infrastructure business targets six million premises passed with full-fibre by 2025, aided by recruitment drive and enhanced investment. 4.8 million total premises passed so far, but no word on rural progress. Collaboration with government and fellow builders key to hitting goals.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone ties with O2 to tidy up mid-band spectrum
Ofcom closes assignment stage of UK spectrum auction with Vodafone trading blocks with O2, while BT opted to buy preferable positions outright. Vodafone–O2 swap ensures contiguous spectrum blocks in 5G‑ready bands.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in BT Group: Better Workplace updates
4‑3‑3 update; Belfast office set for refurbishment; and Ofcom chair position remains open.
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Network & Infrastructure
EE spins up spectrum to further 5G ambitions
New licences put to use minutes after being issued, in partnership with Nokia. BT pays an additional £23m after initial low‑ball auction, but Group still bagged “ an excellent price ”, says Consumer CEO Marc Allera. EE open to future spectrum trades as O2 and Vodafone sign ...
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Network & Infrastructure
O2 UK secures more 5G spectrum
Ofcom raises a total of £1.4bn in principal auction stage — several hundred million pounds less than expectations. Regulator has now opened the first phase of negotiation period that should enable operators to build contiguous blocks in the 3.4GHz–3.8GHz band. Lower spend on licences (so far) should ...
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone UK secures mid-band 5G spectrum
OpCo decides against buying low‑band airwaves as it intends to refarm 900MHz for 5G. Total amount raised is below expectations, indicating lack of appetite among operators for bidding war.
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Network & Infrastructure
EE gets a bargain as operators low‑ball 5G auction
Ofcom raises a total of £1.4bn in principal auction stage — several hundred million pounds less than expectations. Regulator has now opened the first phase of the negotiation period that should enable operators to build a contiguous block in the 3.4GHz–3.8GHz band. Lower spend on licences (so ...
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People
BT Regulatory Affairs lead Cathryn Ross sets sail
Regulatory Affairs Director and Executive Committee member Ross’s departure announced a week after Ofcom market review job‑done. Set to take newly‑created Strategy Regulatory Affairs role at Thames Water.
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Public Affairs
Ofcom gives BT fibre pricing freedom, but adds burdens
Openreach not to face caps or controls on national ultrafast pricing until 2031, as long as it is “ fair and reasonable ”. Locally-targeted pricing from Openreach prohibited as Ofcom seeks to protect emerging altnets. BT Consumer may lose some edge from 90 day notice period ...
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Public Affairs
BT braces as Ofcom fibre ruling looms
Ofcom to set out its fibre vision this week, and while BT may get pricing freedom, it may not get the longer‑term clarity it craves. Regulator’s steps to open up infrastructure competition may also disrupt the incumbent’s plans.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT taps OneWeb for rural coverage leg up
Talks confirmed, but nothing advanced . Back from brink, state-backed OneWeb offers BT space-based alternative to cable . 0.6% of UK households still without “ decent ” broadband connectivity, according to Ofcom .
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Consumer (B2C)
Elsewhere in BT Consumer: spectrum auction looms
UK spectrum auction inches closer, although Ofcom still cautious; Digital Voice expansion; rights picked up in MotoGP and cricket.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: ADTRAN switched on
ADTRAN kit up and running; Ofcom Connected Nations report shows full‑fibre progress; Gigabit Vouchers start showing worth .
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica’s Core Markets: Vivo-Claro deal gets checked
Vivo ’s RAN‑sharing agreement with Claro gets unwanted attention from CADE amid competition concerns .
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Network & Infrastructure
giffgaff embraces AWS public cloud
Telefónica UK’s sub-brand MVNO goes “ all‑in on AWS ”. Move accelerates product development. Years-long effort required changes in processes and skills.
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Consumer (B2C)
Elsewhere in BT Consumer: EE waives roaming
EE waives EU roaming charges, broadband guarantees personalised, lockdown learning backed.
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Public Affairs
BT disputes ‘loyalty penalty’ class action
BT hit with US‑style ‘opt‑out’ class action, led by a former Ofcom consumer protection executive, and financially backed by pioneering UK litigation investment fund Harbour. Previously‑settled Ofcom review forms the basis of near‑£600m claim that BT was acting in breach of competition law. Little precedent on likelihood ...
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Public Affairs
eir’s fury over BT’s NI PSSN contract award reignited
BT hit with substantial fine for misinformation that may have affected the outcome of a £40m government contract. Irish operator “ considering our options ” on prized PSSN contract, although Ofcom found no deliberate breaches.
