Tag: OFCOM
"Three strikes" policy for web pirates will start in 2013, say Ofcom
Ofcom are to being a "three strikes" policy for those repeatedly commiting acts of piracy across the web from 2013, should their plans be met with approval they revealed today. The initial plan was set in place over a year…
Three struggling to keep up with network space demand
Mobile network operator Three have warned that it could run out of network capacity in 2012 unless its plans for network spectrum auctions are heard. It would be a massive blow for Three customers, who could expect greatly reduced network…
Talk Talk fined £3 million by Ofcom for billing errors
Communications regulator Ofcom have fined Talk Talk and their subsidiary group Tiscali UK £3 million for incorrectly billing customers for services they did not recieve or want. Ofcom began investigations after receiving some 1,000 complaints, which lead to the discovery…
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)
