TalkTalk is calling on Ofcom to ban BT, and any other provider, from using ‘rolling contracts’ to hook customers in to long-term contracts.
BT came under heavy criticism yesterday in a Which? report for using contracts which tie consumers in to the service for 18 months and are then renewed at the end of the 18 [...]

BT’s decision this week to open its fibre ducts to competitors has been given a cautious welcome by rivals.
However, the overriding concern is that there are no firm details from BT about how access will be given and under what terms. With the growing politicisation of fibre, for its ability to bring ‘next generation’ broadband [...]

BT is to open its fibre ducts to allow third parties to roll out their own fibre networks.
In a move its Chief Executive described as ‘unlikely to be the silver bullet that will get fibre in to every home’, the broadband giant has arguable pre-empted future legislation that would have forced it to open its [...]

The Tories have been unveiling their digital ambitions.

Sky’s half yearly results show that although the ISP is outperforming arch rival TalkTalk on net new broadband additions, its rate of acceleration is showing signs of slowing.
Ironically, television seemed to dominate both ISPs’ results for the last half and last quarter of 2009. While TalkTalk publicly acknowledged its sponsorship of the X-Factor of nearly [...]

The X-Factor may have missed out on a Christmas number one this year, but TalkTalk believes the hit show it sponsored played a star role in it more than trebling analysts expectations for net new broadband customers in the last three months of 2009.
Figures out yesterday show that the ISP acquired 36,000 net new broadband [...]

The industry body’s commissioned its own research into the costs of the Digital Economy Bill’s copyright clauses.

You won’t be seeing any more of the Tiscali logo as the brand is officially decommissioned.

The BT Group is waging a war on two fronts: versus the Government on one side, battling TalkTalk and Sky on the other.

The BBC Trust has given a conditional green light to the IPTV venture.

Project Canvas can now boast of two major new partners.  Broadcaster, Channel 4 and ISP, TalkTalk have joined the project which is aimed at creating a television platform which combines Freeview (and possibly pay per view) broadcasting with internet video content.
Channel 4 and TalkTalk join the BBC, ITV, Five and BT meaning that all public [...]

The Queen’s been giving Her annual address to Parliament, formally unveiling what will be the current Government’s final legislative programme. In doing so, she announced that a new Digital Economy bill would be published on Friday and what the key elements will be – and there’s no mention of the infamous 50p levy on landlines being implemented.

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. The so-called “Internet Freedom Provision” – deemed by the EU to “strengthen the rights of Internet users” – is part of a package of measures that could come into force as early as next year.

TalkTalk CEO, Charles Dunstone, is to tell the Government its proposed 50p levy on copper phone lines to fund ‘next generation’ broadband will backfire.
Far from providing a fund which will bring fibre to communities who are likely to miss out on commercial roll outs, Dunstone claims the extra 50p per month will cause more than [...]

Now the Government’s put a timetable in place for its plans to disconnect persistent online pirates, one ISP is considering a counter-attack that could see more than individual file-shares up in court. TalkTalk says it may resort to legal action if Lord Peter Mandelson continues with his plans – and it’s not the only one unhappy with the business secretary.

Lord Mandelson confirmed today in Cabinet that the controversial ‘three strikes and out’ policy to tackle internet piracy is to go ahead with the new revelations that ISPs and rights holders will share the cost of enforcement.
TalkTalk has been so incensed by the announcement that it has commissioned a ‘bright dancing’ video featuring a pair [...]

TalkTalk is taking its already-vocal opposition to Lord Mandelson’s plans to disconnect persistent illegal downloaders a step further today with dontdisconnect.us

The campaigning website outlines the rough proposals being outlined by the Government that could lead to disconnection and argues the steps are too draconian because they could see people wrongly accused and also see people [...]

A report from the All Party Parliamentary Commons Group (Appcom) which calls on ISPs to filter the Net for malware and to put child-protection on mobile devices has met with some bemusement among internet providers.
On the one hand, TalkTalk and other ISPs have reported they are pleased with the report urging the government to reconsider [...]

Peter Mandelson’s plans to crack down on illegal file-sharing have a critical flaw, according to a senior TalkTalk exec. Andrew Heaney, the group’s Executive Director of Strategy and Regulation, says the ease of hacking Wi-Fi broadband connections on the average UK street means millions of people would be left at risk to “superhighway robbery.”

Across the UK almost one in four is a “timid technophobe” – and the percentage is highest in the north east of England. That’s according to new research, put together on behalf of TalkTalk and analysed by a social anthropologist from the University of Kent. It points to their being six “Digital Tribes” and suggests that “your openness to new technology and willingness to embrace it” will soon be more important to your future than your education or economic background.