All Ofcom articles
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Public Affairs
Openreach lobbies for regulatory flexibility as fibrecos take market share, struggle with debt
Openreach’s regulatory lead is twisting Ofcom’s arm to give it pricing freedom in regions where it faces two rivals. VM O2 and CityFibre contend that a firm hand is required to protect still fragile competition. While altnets are winning market share, their lenders are nervous…
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Products & Services
UK’s One Touch Switch accelerates to 1.5 million, preps B2B extension
Eleven months in, TOTSCo now switching around 5k broadband consumers daily with more to come, as BT and VM O2 trial new B2B capability, and Netomnia’s Chelot steps down from board…
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People
Under pressure KCOM loses CEO
Tim Shaw set to depart after three-year stint, exiting amid reports that Hull incumbent is gearing up for talks over mounting debt as it continues fibre expansion and migration programmes…
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Analyst Briefings
BTwatch Analyst Briefing: regulatory give and take
Latest from BT as the group benefits from spectrum licence fee savings, but warns of potential competitive damage if TAR changes go through as proposed; Simon Lowth reportedly on his way out; 5G SA rollout updates…
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Analyst Briefings
UK Infrawatch Analyst Briefing: CityFibre reloads, Aviva consolidates, Cellnex eyes UK
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: CityFibre secures financing for expansion drive, GoFibre picks up Project Gigabit deal, Cellnex engages UK government on investment; people moves, and plenty more…
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Network & Infra
TAR 2026: altnets, Openreach rail against ‘puzzling’ regulatory misstep
In a rare show of alignment, Ofcom’s Telecoms Access Review re-zoning proposals get a sledging from altnets and the incumbent as the UK’s fibre industry unites to vent frustration at potential regulatory framework update…
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Public Affairs
Ofcom yields, slashes UK spectrum fees — MNOs demand more
£60m annual reduction sees regulator modify ALF regime and tease softening of spectrum trading regime, but fails to silence criticism that move does not go far enough. Operators lobbying for Treasury to reinvest remaining £270m windfall back into rural 5G…
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Analyst Briefings
UK Infrawatch Analyst Briefing: speed race hots up, gov gives and takes, PIA protested
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: Sky boost for CityFibre and consumer broadband speeds, government promises advanced connectivity investment, SRN goals scaled back; altnets lobby on PIA changes; people moves, and plenty more…
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Analyst Briefings
BTwatch Analyst Briefing: the scale of the altnet challenge
Latest from BT, including a look at the threat faced by Openreach as fibre altnets mature; PIA in focus as Fibrus co-founder questions the incumbent’s duct and pole access pricing; BT Group’s embrace of third-party IT support tools in a bid to cut costs, drive digital transformation; more…
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Deep Dive
UK Fibre: altnet optimism vindicated over time as take-up erodes incumbent dominance
In depth: Eight Advisory’s latest Tracker shines light on altnet challenge to Openreach, with mature cohorts reaching parity and fibre insurgency continuing amidst land-grab tactics. TelcoTitan’s analysis explores linear trajectory of upstarts, impact of overbuild, continued testing of investor patience, and whether the UK can truly sustain more than two major platforms…
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Analyst Briefings
BTwatch Analyst Briefing: state-backed infra advances with varying success
Latest developments from BT, including: varying pace of public-backed projects ESN, Project Gigabit, R100, and SRN; buying chief Cyril Pourrat on AI momentum; RCS innovation with Brand Assure; Middle Eastern DHL deal; more…
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Network & Infra
VM O2, VodafoneThree firm up €401m spectrum deal to redress the ‘imbalance’
Following VodafoneThree’s merger completion, VM O2 outlines the spectrum it plans to acquire.
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M&A
BT said to explore TalkTalk takeover to fend off further customer losses
BT reportedly mulling opportunistic acquisition of financially and operationally challenged TalkTalk, which could help with shoring up defences against fibre altnets and competing in the low-cost broadband sphere. Includes fibre wholesale, copper shutdown, exchange consolidation intrigue…
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Financial & Performance
BT holds off on international B2B sale until division proves its worth
FY24–25: BT Group CEO Allison Kirkby says carved-out BT International must show its value, with ‘runway’ needed for Global Fabric to do the same, ahead of a prospective offload. UK M&A remains on the cards too as BT looks to capitalise on SMB opportunity…
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Analyst Briefings
UK Infrawatch Briefing: altnets prove worth, AI plans develop, nexfibre stalls
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: UK MVNO market reinvigorated by challengers; Kao Data schmoozes with DSIT; a £70m network upgrade contract floated in Wales; people moves; and plenty more…
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Analyst Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: Openreach bites back as altnet challengers add pressure
Latest from BT, including testy confrontations between Openreach and challenger FibreCos; BT Business CTO shares lessons (and warnings) from the Group’s telco-as-a-platform overhaul; and more quantum developments emerge from Adastral Park…
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Analyst Briefings
UK Infrawatch Briefing: altnets and Openreach square up, data centres spread out
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: data centres embrace regional opportunities; overbuild threats loom; a closer‑than‑expected scale fibre platform; people moves; plenty more…
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Eventwatch
Openreach and altnet ‘Gladiators’ trade blows on future costs of PIA
Connected North 2025: In robust exchanges at Connected North, Fibrus Chair warns regulator is on the verge of repeating mistakes of the past on PIA pricing, and too easily steered off course on policy.
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M&A
CityFibre’s Holden: altnets and backers must pull together for investment‑grade nirvana
In-depth from Eight Advisory’s London event: as UK fibre altnets face financing challenges, optimistic CityFibre COO reveals vision for consolidation, suggesting sector is “a very small number of M&A transactions away” from creating a sufficiently scaled platform to rival BT/Openreach and VM O2. Additional Greg Mesch and Rob Hamlin coverage from FTTH Conference in Amsterdam…
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Network & Infra
INCA hails altnet heroes as spectre of overbuild looms
In a punchy, positive report altnet industry group INCA hails “dynamic” altnets on a mission to bring “fairer, faster, and more resilient” connectivity to the UK, but competitive benefits may not be sustainable, and the spectre of ‘supervillain’ Openreach still looms large.