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MNO

BT Q3: Fibre, 5G progress

In reporting its results for the nine months to December 31st 2020, multiplay telco BT has claimed progress in its fibre and 5G deployment. Its digital infrastructure subsidiary Openreach’s FTTP network now reaches 4.1 million premises, built at an average run rate of 42k premises passed per week in the quarter, and remains on track […]

February 4, 2021

BT, EE unveil convergent BT Halo 3+

Describing it as the latest innovation in its customer premises equipment story, which redefines home broadband reliability, UK multiplay telco BT has unveiled BT Halo 3+, saying it offers the UK’s only unbreakable wi-fi connection for the home backed up by the EE mobile network. According to BT, the requirement for a reliable home broadband […]

February 3, 2021

Ofcom: Virgin pay-TV, Vodafone broadband most complaints

Ofcom has published the latest league tables on the complaints it receives about the UK’s major broadband, pay-TV and mobile firms. The quarterly report reveals the number of complaints made to Ofcom between July and September 2020, about firms that provide home broadband, pay-TV, landline telephone and pay-monthly mobile and pay-TV. Ofcom includes all providers […]

February 2, 2021

Survey: 7.1m Brits missing out on free broadband

Comparison site Compare Fibre reports that 57.4 per cent of lower-income households in the UK (some 7.1 million people) have not taken up, and are unaware of the help on offer to assist with maintaining connectivity under the lockdown. This includes: Free Wi-Fi vouchers to 5 million hotspots are available through the BT website. You […]

February 1, 2021

Spain: ‘Vodafone has fastest 5G; Movistar slowest’

Vodafone’s 5G network is the fastest on the Spanish market, with Movistar being the slowest available. A report from consultancy firm Ookla reveals that Vodafone offers a download speed of 232 Mbps and upload speed at 37 Mbps. Orange is second with 167 Mbps and 22 Mbps, respectively. Yoigo, owned by MásMóvil, is in third […]

February 1, 2021From David Del Valle in Madrid

DISH, Vertical Bridge 5G infrastructure deal

US connectivity company DISH Network Corporation and communications infrastructure specialist Vertical Bridge REIT have agreed a long-term deal granting DISH immediate access to Vertical Bridge’s extensive portfolio of towers, rooftops, utility transmission structures, billboards, convenience stores and other sites used for wireless infrastructure deployment. “Building a national 5G network requires an extensive presence across urban, […]

February 1, 2021

US 5G auction moves to next stage

Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has welcomed the release of final guidance on the upcoming assignment phase of the US’s 5G auction of C-band spectrum which has already generated gross proceeds exceeding $80.9 billion. The FCC, in a Public Notice, has detailed the assignment phase of Auction 107, in which bidders that won generic spectrum […]

January 27, 2021By Colin Mann

UK cellcos enhance rural coverage

Three of the UK’s mobile operators – O2, Three and Vodafone – are partnering to build and share 222 new mobile masts to boost rural coverage across the United Kingdom and deliver the first stage of the Shared Rural Network (SRN), a £1 billion programme to improve rural mobile coverage agreed by the mobile network […]

January 27, 2021By Colin Mann

CMA lists ‘concerns’ on Virgin/O2 deal

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has outlined its concerns on the proposed merger of Liberty Global’s Virgin Media and Telefónica’s O2. Its focus is on the possible impact of the merger on the supply of wholesale mobile services to MVNOs and other MNOs. The CMA is worried that the combined company could potentially […]

January 25, 2021

DT, Cellnex Dutch tower business merger

In a further move consolidating ownership of the European tower sector, with 5G rollouts picking up speed, Deutsche Telekom and wireless telecommunications infrastructure specialist Cellnex Telecom have signed an agreement to merge their respective Dutch mobile communications infrastructure companies into Cellnex Netherlands BV (Cellnex NL). Both companies will also become anchor investors in the newly […]

January 21, 2021By Colin Mann