In 2023 (January to November) there were over 2 billion plays of radio, music and podcasts on the BBC Sounds app, as listeners continue to enjoy a wide range of audio content from across the BBC. Podcast listening saw an uplift of 34 per cent on BBC Sounds compared to the same period in 2022. […]
A proposed merger between Slam Corp, backed by former US professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez, and direct-to-smartphone operator Lynk Global, has hit a potential problem. Slam is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) and which raised $575 million (€522.6m) back in November 2021 and intended to secure an investment opportunity. Slam has now had to […]
EE, Virgin Media O2 and Three have announced the arrival of 4G on TfL’s Elizabeth line, with four central London stations stretching from the West End to the City now live with 4G services. The Elizabeth line is TfL’s newest train line, having opened in May 2022, and becomes the fourth to receive underground mobile […]
According to a research from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, there were a total of 2,900 private LTE/5G networks deployed across the world at the end of 2023, including trial and pilot deployments. Private 5G network deployments are moving from trials to commercial operations and amounted to an estimated 700 networks whereof trials accounted […]
A record 17 million UK homes have access to full-fibre broadband, with 4.6 million now taking it up, according to regulator Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations report. For the first time, full-fibre broadband is available to over half of homes in all four of the UK nations. Northern Ireland leads the way, with over nine in […]
Virgin Media O2 has released its Year in Review which presents a deep dive of trends, habits and behaviours across its broadband, mobile and TV services, revealing that 2023 saw new usage records. The pandemic and Covid restrictions might be a thing of the past for some, but its impact on how Brits are now […]
The World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) has concluded with what mobile industry trade body the GSMA describes as “groundbreaking” spectrum decisions that will shape the future of mobile communications. Governments agreed on new mobile low-band spectrum (below 1 GHz) and mid-band spectrum in the 3.5 GHz and 6 GHz ranges. The GSMA welcomed these outcomes […]
Telecoms customers must be told upfront in pounds and pence about any price rises their provider includes in their contract, under new consumer protection plans set out by regulator Ofcom. With most major phone, broadband and pay-TV companies now including mid-contract price rises linked to uncertain future inflation, Ofcom is concerned that customers’ contracts do […]
Chief Networks Officer at BT, Greg McCall, has outlined EE’s 3G retirement strategy and how it plans to ensure customers are supported during the switch off process and how customers’ mobile connectivity experiences will improve as a result of the switch off in 2024 and beyond. EE will begin switching off of its 3G network […]
A study from Juniper Research, the specialist in telecommunications markets, predicts OTT messaging apps will remain the dominant channel for conversational commerce. This is despite a fall in global market share of conversational commerce spend from 53 per cent in 2024, to 45 per cent in 2028. Much of this spend will be driven by […]