Tag: OFCOM
Hello future: Next generation 4G mobile network auctions kick off in UK
Exciting times are ahead: 4G is coming. We don't know what it means exactly, but we understand it's going to be mobile broadband on steroids and we wantsss it preciousssss. While the specifics of 4G, or LTE (long-term evolution),…
Mobile termination charges to be cut by 80% – but will it mean cheaper phone bills?
Mobile termination charges, or the amount mobile companies charge each other for dealing with calls stemming from other networks, will fall 80% over the next four years. The move is expected to cost the telecoms industry £2 billion. But…
The truth about broadband: Still more turtle than hare, study finds
In the ads on TV, broadband comes in like rays of light from the sky. Songs are downloaded in seconds, and videos are streamed without the slightest hiccup. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones whose real life…
Ofcom move for free 0800 number mobile phone calls
Communications standards watchdog Ofcom have set down proposals to see all 0800 calls become cost-free on mobile phones, just as they are on landlines. A lack of transparency in current mobile tariffs means that calls many expect to be free…
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…
Ofcom okays wireless HD for UK TVs
Goodbye expensive HDMI cables, hello even more expensive TVs. Ofcom has agreed to free up some of the UK electromagentic spectrum to allow us to stream high definition content wirelessly in our homes.
What this means for you and I is that we’ll no longer have to have cables between our TVs and BD players/set top boxes. Instead there’ll be really expense transmitters and receivers buried in our already expensive hardware and, although I’m not willing to pay to rid my house of a few short ties, I do like the idea of streaming downloaded HD content straight from my PC. Plus any system that allows me to use the Asus Keyboard would make me a very happy mangeek. Oh, and just in case you’re worried, there’s no compression involved.
What I like best about this story, though, is how Ofcom has done it. They’ve basically just made an announcement and then said they’ll free up the small 57GHz-66GHz part of the spectrum by the end of the week. Seems pretty quick. I wonder if I could get myself a couple of GHz of airwave real estate? Sounds like Ofcom might have some down the back of the sofa.
(via Digital Spy)
Ofcom releases 3G coverage maps
Spare a thought for people living in Scotland or Wales, or if you live in Scotland or Wales spare a thought for yourself. The 3G coverage maps released by Ofcom show a distinct lack of a 3G network in those areas. In fact there is a distinct lack of coverage in any rural area in the UK.
The maps show that 3 is the network with the most 3G coverage, closely followed by Orange. O2 comes last – supporting our theory that O2 is, in fact, a bit rubbish.
Ofcom said: “For 3G network coverage there is still a noticeable difference between rural and urban areas, and also between different parts of the UK, with coverage problems a particular issue in the devolved nations.”
3G is becoming ever more important, especially with the new generation of smartphones which rely on good coverage and fast connections in order for their features and apps to run smoothly. The maps paint a bleak picture of a network that isn’t really supporting the smart devices.
What’s the answer? Well, see these related posts for possible alternatives and solutions: Will WiMax or LTE win out? | Femtocells – much more than a signal booster
(via The Press Association)
Ofcom offers glimmer of hope in O2 tethering row
Consumer blog Bitterwallet has posted an interesting update concerning the ongoing issue of whether O2 should be allowed to charge for iPhone tethering.
The row essentially boils down to the fact that O2 are proposing a £14.68 – £29.36 monthly bolt-on charge for customers who want to use their iPhone to tether 3G data to their laptops. iPhone customers already have a plan in place with O2 whereby they can download, supposedly, unlimited data, so customers would be paying extra for data they’ve already paid for.
Bitterwallet’s post includes a letter from a reader who contacted Ofcom to complain about O2’s proposal. The reader was told that “without further calls to them about this issue” any action Ofcom might take would not go forward. This implies that Ofcom will need more people to lodge a complaint before any action is taken.
If you did want to complain then Ofcom can be reached on 020 7981 3040 or 0300 123 3333.
Five given HD freeview slot
Ofcom has provisionally awarded Five a HD slot, allowing the network to broadcast in HD over the Freeview network when the capacity becomes available.
Five follows in the footsteps of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, who have already been awarded their licenses. It was believed that Channel 4 was vying for a second licence in order to broadcast their E4 channel in HD.
Ofcom has stated, however, that the agreement with Five relies on them meeting “certain key criteria” by 31st December 2009. They also confirmed that Five’s HD output would only be at peak times.
This is good news for fans of shows like CSI:Miami, The Gadget Show and Bones. Bad news for fans of The Wright Stuff, Wordplay and House Doctor.
Freeview HD is expected in 2010, but when you’ll actually be able to get it really depends on where you live. Ofcom say the north-west will be first to receive Freeview HD after its switch-over. Everyone should be able to get the full Freeview HD package by 2012.
(via Brand Republic)
UK named 10th most techie country in the world
The International Telecommunications Union has released figures from their survey of 154 countries that name the United Kingdom as the 10th most technologically advanced country in the world.
The study, which takes into account variables like access to technology…
