Tag: isp
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Speed boost lands for Virgin Media broadband customers
They promised to do so, and they've delivered; Virgin Media have given a speed boost to their broadband customers on 100MB connections, upping their speeds to 120MB, free of charge. It's part of Virgin Media's "Double Your Speeds" programme, which…
John Lewis launch own-brand Broadband service
John Lewis have entered the broadband services market, offering a branded broadband service either instore, online or over the phone. Three separate packages are being offered; Standard, Unlimited and Fibre. Speeds range from (up to) 16MB to (up to)…
BBC iPlayer and ITV Player hitting Sky Anytime+ service, rolls out beyond Sky broadband customers
Sky are updating their Anytime+ service, announcing that they've signed a deal that will see the BBC's iPlayer and the ITV Player VOD platforms be added to their own video-on-demand portal. Sky have also announced that, for the first time,…
ISPs to roll out porn-blocking powers
A new government-planned initiative in the UK will see internet service providers blocking access to pornographic websites as a measure to prevent children from accidentally accessing adult material. New subscribers to BT, Virgin Media, Talk Talk and Sky will have…
UK broadband users increasingly dissatisfied with ISPs say Ofcom
UK web surfers are becoming increasingly riled with the poor service their ISPs are offering, according to new research by Ofcom. Though many broadband subscribers are happy with the package they recieve, Ofcom have noted a 5% increase in the…
O2 voted favourite British broadband provider
A poll carried out by www.broadband-expert.co.uk has revealed O2 to be Britian's favourite broadband provider. Over 100,000 broadband users voted in the poll, with 6,676 giving O2 the highest average satisfaction rating of 77%. View the full list of results…
BT slams government's plans to tackle illegal file sharers
Dealing with online piracy has often been a bone of contention between operators and the government, but since the plans laid out in the Digital Economy Bill were announced, disagreements has stepped up a notch. Now BT's chief executive Ian…
BT hits back in iPlayer throttling row
You may remember last week, we published a post regarding BT’s apparent throttling of its users broadband connections. Well, the telecom giant has hit back, going public with its condemnation of online video services like the BBC’s iPlayer and YouTube.
Basically this is how the row has unfolded: The BBC releases a story accusing BT of slowing down broadband connections at peak time – to less than 1Mbps between 5pm and midnight – when users should be getting up to 8Mbps. BT responds by sending an email to BBC Radio 4 programme You and Yours stating that content providers “can’t expect to continue to get a free ride”. They also go public with this stance.
The Beeb have responded today, via their blog, saying that BT’s move was a “forthright call for cash” and that the row could end with net neutrality becoming obsolete.
What this means is that ISPs, who currently make no differentiation between types of internet traffic, could begin to charge content providers for their output, particularly bandwidth hoggers like the iPlayer.
The row illustrates how much the net has evolved over the last few years. With the mass introduction of high-bandwidth streaming service like the iPlayer, Spotify, YouTube and the like, the pressure on ISPs to provide a fast and consistent service to their users has increased dramatically.
Lord Carter’s Digital Britain review is due next week and should call for broadband at high speeds and low prices. It might just be that content providers are going to have to come to a compromise with the ISPs to make that happen.
Whatever the outcome, the end users should not be the ones who are penalised. If an ISP advertises up to 8Mbps broadband with unlimited data allowance then that is exactly what they should provide. They shouldn’t promote a service if they are going to struggle to provide it.
(via The FT)
UPDATED: BT announces cheapest UK home and mobile broadband combo
It’s pretty much a straight up fight for your data between all the mobile networks and just about everyone else who pipes any kind of service into your home. Doubtless the electric and water companies will be on it soon enough but today is the turn of BT to land their latest blow in the shape of the cheapest home and mobile broadband combo package on the block.
They’re offering you a dongle, 1GB of mobile data per month at a supposed 7.2Mbps and limited 8Mbps home broadband package for a total of £303.08 over 18 months or just £15.65 a month if that sounds too scary.
The deal’s well over £100 cheaper than similar offers from Virgin and Orange and comes with the BT satisfaction of speedy set up and the fact that it’ll probably work more often than not.
Out now over here.