CityFibre best suited to acquire rural altnet Gigaclear - Point Topic
UNITED KINGDOM 17:53

CityFibre best suited to acquire rural altnet Gigaclear - Point Topic

CityFibre is the best potential candidate to acquire heavily-indebted UK rural fibre broadband provider Gigaclear, according to new research from Point Topic. The report examines Gigaclear's network value, competitive market position and potential suitors. Point Topic says Gigaclear and CityFibre have a complementary network footprint, with an overlap of only 0.3 percent or just over 12,000 premises.

Channel 4 appoints head of new in-house production business
UNITED KINGDOM 17:22

Channel 4 appoints head of new in-house production business

UK broadcaster Channel 4 has appointed Sarah Dillistone to head up its in-house production business. This newly-created role supports the group's Intellectual Property strategy. She will be responsible for setting up in-house production capabilities as part if its Fast Forward strategy to grow and diversify revenues. The in-house production team will focus initially on factual entertainment, reality and entertainment content. They will be able to pitch to Channel 4 and other media platforms, with production

Total Wireless extends partnership agreement with UFC
UNITED STATES 17:08

Total Wireless extends partnership agreement with UFC

Total Wireless, pre-paid 5G mobile brand of Verizon, has signed a multi-year partnership renewal agreement with mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation UFC. This will see Total Wireless remain the Official Wireless Partner of UFC in the US. It will also become the exclusive Broadcast Headset Partner of UFC, with exclusive Total Wireless branding on all headsets worn by the color commentary team for all UFC events. 

Currys reports peak group revenue growth of 6 percent
UNITED KINGDOM 16:56

Currys reports peak group revenue growth of 6 percent

UK electricals retailer Currys has reported group like-for-like revenue growth of 6 percent for the 10 weeks (peak period) to 10 January 2026. UK & Ireland like-for-like revenue grew by 3 percent year-on-year during this period; with Currys gaining market share with strong sales in mobile, and seeing growth in computing and appliance sales. UK MVNO iD Mobile ended the period with 2.5 million subscribers, up 19 percent year-on-year, after adding almost one million subscribers in two years. Like-for-like reve

Lightpath extends fibre network build in Greater Columbus region
UNITED STATES 16:49

Lightpath extends fibre network build in Greater Columbus region

UK wholesale fibre connectivity provider Lightpath has won a third major network award in the Greater Columbus (Ohio) market. This builds on a network currently under development, and will add 55 route miles of underground, multi-conduit network infrastructure extending SW of Columbus toward Cincinnati. This brings the total Lightpath network under construction in the Greater Columbus region to a total of 304 route miles.

ORG opposes blanket UK social media ban for under 16s
UNITED KINGDOM 16:42

ORG opposes blanket UK social media ban for under 16s

The Open Rights Group (ORG) has warned that a blanket ban on social media for under 16s in the UK would be a "damaging and ineffective response to online harms". The digital rights advocacy group said it would extend "age-gating" to millions of people and silence young people, creating serious risks to data protection, privacy and freedom of expression. ORG was responding to the launch of a public consultation by the UK government into a potential ban on social media use for under 16s.

Openreach wins GBP 18 mln Project Gigabit contract extension in Scotland
UNITED KINGDOM 16:29

Openreach wins GBP 18 mln Project Gigabit contract extension in Scotland

Openreach has secured an extension to an existing GBP 157 million Project Gigabit contract in Scotland to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to around 12,500 additional premises in Dumfries & Galloway. The GBP 18 million contract extension is being financed by the UK government and co-managed by the Scottish government.

MTS adds smartwatches, smart speakers to trade-in programme
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 16:04

MTS adds smartwatches, smart speakers to trade-in programme

Russian operator MTS has expanded its trade-in programme so customers also can return used smartwatches and smart speakers and get up to 99 percent discounts on new devices in shops of the operator. A pilot project launched in several regions in December 2025. After the successful launch, it has expanded to almost all regions where MTS is present, save the Magadan and Kaliningrad regions. The operator accepts 14 models of smart speaker from Yandex and VK, as well as 126 models of smartwatches from Apple, Sa

Beeline Russia delivers data Sims for GWM Rus connected cars
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 16:03

Beeline Russia delivers data Sims for GWM Rus connected cars

Russian operator Beeline said that its unit Beeline Business has completed a joint project on the development of digital services for cars with the company GWM Rus, an exclusive reseller of GWM Poer, Haval, Tank and Wey vehicles in the country. Under the project, cars  from GWM are provided with SIMs to support data connections for in-vehicle digital services. Data is transferred over secure links, without using an open internet connection, Beeline said.

Makedonski Telekom rolls out inclusive customer app
NORTH MACEDONIA 16:02

Makedonski Telekom rolls out inclusive customer app

Makedonski Telekom has unveiled a redesigned version of its Telekom MK application, making it the first inclusive commercial application in Macedonia, the operator claims. The app has been specifically tailored to provide a simpler, faster, and more intuitive experience for individuals with disabilities. Key accessibility improvements include larger and more contrasting text for improved readability, voice-over adaptation for all elements, enabling audio reading, as well as full compatibility with assistive

Orange Slovakia gets Top Employer award
SLOVAKIA 16:00

Orange Slovakia gets Top Employer award

Orange Slovakia said it has received the Top Employer award from the Netherlands-based Top Employers Institute. The award is based on an independent external audit. Human resources experts at the Top Employer Institute evaluate a wide range of HR processes, including training, development, internal communication and overall culture in the field of human resources. 

Kabelio extends Eutelsat Hotbird contract until 2031
SWITZERLAND 15:59

Kabelio extends Eutelsat Hotbird contract until 2031

Kabelio has extended a contract with Eutelsat to use Hotbird geostationary satellites until the end of 2031. The original agreement foresaw the end of the contract this year. Kabelio shows more than 60 channels in four languages in HD to households across Switzerland via satellite.

LATVIA 15:57

Tele2 Latvia to provide fixed broadband over Tet fibre network

Tele2 Latvia plans to cooperate with the operator Tet on providing fixed broadband services over the fibre-optic network. Both operators expect the cooperation will strengthen their market positions. At the initial stage, broadband services will be available for residential customers only, and later the offer will expand to B2B customers. Fixed broadband at up to 1 Gbps is already available for at least 500,000 customers across the country.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 15:54

T2, Solar offer monitoring for online personal data leaks

Russian mobile operator T2, a subsidiary of the national operator Rostelecom, has introduced a service to monitor the internet for personal data leaks. It was developed in cooperation with the cyber-security services provider Solar, another subsidiary of Rostelecom. The service provides customers with an additional layer of protection online, scanning sources for where their phone numbers may appear in leaked personal data. Customers are informed of data breaches instantly.

SLOVAKIA 15:52

4ka offers CA module for new DVB service

Slovak operator 4ka has introduced a new device to its pay-TV subscribers using terrestrial TV services, reports Zive.sk. Customers can purchase the CA module for EUR 36.90 for services over DVB-T2 based on the HEVC codec. The terrestrial TV service from 4ka offers more than 30 channels for EUR 7.99 monthly.

BRAZIL 15:50

Brazilian regulator consults on maritime mobile service

Brazil's National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) has initiated a public consultation seeking public input for 30 days on a proposed act that outlines new technical and operational requirements for radio frequency use in the Maritime Mobile Limited Service (SLMM). This move aims to update existing regulations to align with international changes in the 2024 Radio Regulations, which were influenced by the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference. The updates specifically address the modernisation of the Gl

BELARUS 15:49

MTS Belarus offers new top broadband plan at 500 Mbps

MTS Belarus has refreshed its fixed broadband services with a new maximum speed of 500 Mbps under the Grand Tariff Plus. New customers can subscribe to the plan for a promotional price of BYN 34 per month the first six months. The plan includes a dual-band Wi-Fi router for BYN 1. The maximum speed is available in certain locations only.

LIBERIA 15:48

Liberia's Senate approves Cybercrime Act

The Liberian Senate has approved the Cybercrime Act 2025, a bill aimed at strengthening national cybersecurity, The Observer reported. The bill which had already been passed in the House of Representatives, now goes to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to be signed into law. The legislation updates Liberia's legal framework in response to the rise in online crime. 

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 15:23

Tricolor tests new content protection system

Russian satellite TV operator Tricolor, in cooperation with the company GS Labs, has started testing a new content protection system called CAS Dreguard. The system helps protect copyrighted video content from illegal use and modernises the whole TV transmission chain, the companies said. CAS Dreguard is used as an additional module of the satellite broadcasting system from Tricolor. The operator expects that the new system will help reduce production and operating costs for set-top boxes.

POLAND 15:18

Lukman Multimedia appoints new CEO

Polish ISP Lukman Multimedia appointed Krzysztof Dziegielewski the CEO of the company. Dziegielewski was previously sales and marketing director for the ISP Skynet, based outside Warsaw. Lukman Multimedia provides fixed broadband, pay-TV and fixed telephony services in the Lublin region and eastern part of the Masuria region. The ISP is carrying out two EU-funded broadband network expansion projects in the Lublin region, worth almost PLN 18 million in total.

GLOBAL 15:17

Plume names new chief marketing officer

Plume, which supplies cloud-managed Wi-Fi, security and smart home services to Internet Service Providers (ISPs), has announced the appointment of Rebecca Stone as its new chief marketing officer. She has over 20 years of experience in brand, product marketing, growth and revenue strategy. She most recently served as SVP for revenue marketing and customer solutions marketing at Cisco.

GERMANY 15:16

Eurofiber Netz, Amiva connect to Vitroconnect wholesale platform

Eurofiber Netz and internet service provider Amiva, a brand of Stroth Telecom, are using the open-access platform of Vitroconnect to market fibre-optic connections. Under the model, Eurofiber Netz acts as a bitstream Layer 2 provider (FTTH/FTTB), while Amiva receives the services as a bitstream Layer 3 consumer.

SLOVAKIA 15:15

4ka blocks over 12 mln cyber threats in December

Slovak operator 4ka said that its security service 4ka Protection blocked 12.1 million malicious activities on its mobile network in December 2025. These threats came from malicious domains, fraudulent sites and infected sources, with more than 94,000 cases involving specific websites that were blacklisted. The available data shows that 29 percent of all devices connected to the network were exposed to at least one security threat that the system successfully blocked. The most widespread threat remains malw

MALDIVES 15:14

Ooredoo Business partners with Highrise as digital partner for F&B Show

Maldives' Ooredoo Business has partnered with Highrise as the digital partner of the Food & Beverage Show 2026, to support the event with connectivity. During the 21-24 January event, the Ooredoo Business stall will show its enterprise solutions including high-speed connectivity, cloud services, digital tools and tailored offerings for SMEs.

Just In

17:53

CityFibre best suited to acquire rural altnet Gigaclear - Point Topic

17:22

Channel 4 appoints head of new in-house production business

17:08

Total Wireless extends partnership agreement with UFC

16:56

Currys reports peak group revenue growth of 6 percent

Commentary

2 JAN 13:21

Open Dutch Fiber's new management team takes up turnaround challenge

15 DEC 2025 13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

8 DEC 2025 11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

31 OKT 2025 11:11

KPN's mixed performance in Q3 raises questions for strategy day

Background

19 JAN 00:42

The week in telecom: Apple holds on to smartphone crown, Ericsson slims down and CommScope changes name

16 JAN 09:51

Belgian mobile market under pressure from Digi, broadband impact still to come

15 JAN 08:55

Fairphone still a small player but market share growing in Netherlands

12 JAN 00:04

The week in telecoms: CES brings Wi-Fi 8 and more smart glasses, while Warner sticks with Netflix