SamKnows - Broadband News, Analysis and Profiles

From Wi-Fi to Why-Fine for pub owner

30 Nov 2009 | 21.38 Europe/London

The owner of a pub that doubles as a Wi-Fi hotspot has paid out £8,000 after someone illegally downloaded material subject to copyright laws on their premises.

Profile: Interoute's Lee Myall on enterprise leading govt on fibre roll out

30 Nov 2009 | 17.59 Europe/London

Businesses are driving fibre deployment across Europe at a far greater rate than governments. In fact, corporations and public institutions could even hold the key to widening the UK’s next generation footprint.

Greek FTTH plan is down but not out

30 Nov 2009 | 16.16 Europe/London

A change of government, the economy in recession, and a

Profile: Is Freerunner founder, Owen Geddes, the Robin Hood of Wi-Fi?

27 Nov 2009 | 17.20 Europe/London

More than 50 free Wi-Fi hotspots are due to be switched on in not-spot areas by a company based around the premise there is more to the technology than fleecing businessmen in airport lounges.

50p tax could add up to £21.15 per year according to leaked documents

26 Nov 2009 | 23.24 Europe/London

Leaked Government documents appear to reveal that the 50p levy on fixed lines intended to fund Britain's access to super-fast broadband could cost consumers more than previously thought.

Profile: Media lawyer, Patrick Gardiner, raises Digital Economy Bill concerns

25 Nov 2009 | 19.25 Europe/London

It is not only campaigners who are concerned by the anti-piracy measures included in the Digital Economy Bill, legal experts are also at a loss to explain how the government can sanction giving future ministers seemingly limitless powers.

Super-fast broadband in the "Digital Region" of 25Mbit/s

24 Nov 2009 | 23.17 Europe/London

After Swindon unveiled its "Digital City" initiative last week, even Wiltshire residents may be now wistfully looking over to South Yorkshire as the heart of its new Digital Region project goes live.

Spain warned on internet disconnections

24 Nov 2009 | 21.42 Europe/London

Opposition to three-strikes laws continues to grow. This week European Commissioner for Information Society and Media Vivane Reding

Rural community digging trenches in fight for next-gen broadband -- UPDATED

23 Nov 2009 | 23.32 Europe/London

The people of a remote village that they describe as "England's last wilderness" have started digging the trenches that'll grant them Next Generation Access (NGA) to broadband, meaning it'll be far from also being the country's last NGA not-spot.

Profile: RedKite's Graham McLean on why WiMax holds little hope for rural 'not-spots'

20 Nov 2009 | 15.45 Europe/London

WiMax will not be the wireless broadband saviour for the digital have-nots, according to CI-Net Managing Director Graham McLean.

Barriers to broadband: the American view

20 Nov 2009 | 12.32 Europe/London

How is it possible to achieve universal broadband adoption in a country of over 300 million people occupying around 10 million square km – the world’s third largest in terms of land area? That’s the scale of the problem facing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the US telecoms regulator, which has been charged with delivering a national broadband plan to the US government by February of next year.

Queen's Speech: no talk of broadband tax

18 Nov 2009 | 23.33 Europe/London

The Queen's been giving Her annual address to Parliament, formally unveiling what will be the current Government's final legislative programme.

Spain plans universal broadband by 2011

18 Nov 2009 | 16.03 Europe/London

First Finland and now Spain have declared their intention to make broadband a legal right for all citizens.

Free web access for all in "Digital City"

17 Nov 2009 | 19.17 Europe/London

Free wireless Internet access is being offered everyone living in the Wiltshire town of Swindon. It's a million pound scheme, with the money coming from a mixture of public funds and private enterprise.

Profile: O2’s Peter Rampling on life after iPhone exclusivity

16 Nov 2009 | 16.40 Europe/London

Free home broadband and three months Sky Mobile TV are the baits O2 is to use this Christmas to defend against having to share the iPhone with Orange (and then Vodafone early next year).

Italian broadband plan gets a reprieve

13 Nov 2009 | 14.45 Europe/London

Italy released financial data today showing the country had exited recession, which could be good news for the 7.

BT, O2 revel in revealing customer gains

13 Nov 2009 | 00.13 Europe/London

BT Group and O2's parent company Telefónica have both just released their results for the past quarter.

Hollywood bosses call for 'three strikes'

11 Nov 2009 | 11.35 Europe/London

Hollywood movie studios are, for the first time, pressing Congress to pursue a ‘three strikes’ policy against internet pirates which could ultimately lead to disconnection for persistent offenders.

Europe, America legislate on net neutrality

10 Nov 2009 | 21.48 Europe/London

There’s no topic guaranteed to spark heated debate quite like net neutrality – a principle that, in rather simple terms, requires all kinds of web traffic to be treated equally, assuming it’s legal of course.

TalkTalk: new EU measures will force Government disconnection rethink

10 Nov 2009 | 21.28 Europe/London

One of the UK's biggest ISPs says a late amendment to an European Union agreement on telecoms regulations means it'll now be "almost impossible" for film studios and music labels to force ISPs to disconnect customers who are suspected of illegal files-sharing without obtaining a court order first.