TalkTalk Gobble Virgin Media’s UK Copper ADSL Broadband Users

That'll boost TalkTalk's subscriber base while increasing Virgin Media's average Download speeds no doubt (while possibly decreasing Virgins operating costs also). 

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2014/11/uk-isp-talktalk-gobbles-virgin-medias-copper-adsl-broadband-users.html

Virgin Media Expand UK Network to Cambridgeshire Village, But is it FTTP?

"Virgin Media has confirmed to ISPreview.co.uk that a “small-scale development” is currently underway and in the “early stages” of expanding superfast broadband and TV (but not phone) services into the large village of Papworth Everard near the city of Cambridge, but will it be a 152Mbps coax (DOCSIS) or 300Mbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network?"
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2014/08/virgin-media-expand-uk-network-cambridgeshire-village-fttp.html

Virgin Media UK Lab Testing 10Gbps DOCSIS 3.1 Broadband Upgrade

Good to see Virgin aren't sitting still. They also recently broadened their deal with Sky for Whole Sky sports channels so their offerings look pretty good. I personally find them a bit pricey compared to Sky FTTC though. 

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2014/07/virgin-media-uk-lab-testing-10gbps-docsis-3-1-broadband-upgrade.html

Ovivo has shut up shop. Alternatives?

Looks like http://www.ovivomobile.com/ overstretched themselves with one off payment free services and the promise of continuing them. It was never going to be sustainable without good marketing revenue coming in and they probably outgrew that as they were popular on places like HotUKDeals.

Make sure to go get you PAC if you want to keep your number!

Alternatives. 

If your looking for a new phone with contract then check out TopCashback and Quidco as they tend to have good cash-back offers (not guarantied but i've usually not had any issues, just long waits). I got my S4 on release with £150 cash back and a 12 month contract (£50pm) from Quidco last year and i'm ready for the S5 if I decide to go that way this year. It cost about the same as buying the phone outright at the time so essentially a free contract!

If you don't need a phone and want good sim only contracts then I recommend Tesco mobile (earn double club card points on your bills if thats still the same) as they have good 1 month contract prices and the best customer care i've dealt with. (Runs on the O2 network.

Virgin Mobile are also cheap but their customer service is pants. Runs on the TMobile / EE network.

If I want a 4G sim only tariff then I think i'm likely to go with Tesco mobile at the end of April. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Virgin Media UK Boost Broadband Speeds and Add 152Mbps Package

With their new owner they really should make a big push with these increased speeds and some competitive prices. They can't really complete with a FTTH product but those areas that OpenReach have installed FTTH in are very niche markets.

Against FTTC, Virgin still has a speed advantage but as i've said before, their DLM restriction polices and their pricing really hold them back.

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2013/11/virgin-media-uk-boost-broadband-speeds-launch-150mbps-package.html

Sorry Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin. BT 1up'ed you with their new home hub 4

It's dual band! (2.4 and 5GHz), has some Gigabit ethernet ports and a USB port...

Fits through a letterbox which is convenient.

No VDSL modem built in still..

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2013/05/uk-isp-bt-retail-reveals-new-smarter-hub-3-broadband-wireless-router.html

Virgin Media UK Grows to Reach 4.49 Million Cable Broadband Users

Lots of interesting content in the link below.

VM were knocked of the No.2 spot for customer broadband by Sky when they bought O2.

I think they've probably gone in the right direction with backhaul services. It keeps OpenReach competitive and keeps them diverse. Sky probably makes money from selling channels to Virgin Media so those two seem very intertwined these days with that new about them buying VM's backhaul.

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2013/04/virgin-media-uk-grows-to-reach-4-49-million-cable-broadband-users.html

Virgin Media launches new traffic management policy

If your a Virgin Media customer its well worth noting these figure in relation to your package down.

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/5790-virgin-media-launches-new-stepped-traffic-management-levels.html

Ofcom announce the 4G auctions bidders

Interesting not to see Virgin in there as they were running some 4G trials.

BT are in the mix via Niche Spectrum Ventures Limited.

I was kinda hoping for a surprise from a a big name fixed line ISPs but it seems they aren't interested.

B Sky B have The Cloud.

TalkTalk operate an MVNO

So I guess they consider the fix line market a core technology for another generation at least.

Going forward with fibre, the speeds will certainly beat 4G but 4G does bring down the latency on mobile connections. It'll be interesting when there is a mature 4G network in place, we might see more and more people willing to forgo a fixed line to save costs.

Thinkbroadband:
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/5637-ofcom-announce-the-4g-auctions-bidders.html

UK lumia 920 12 month pricing vs sim only.

EE (4G) have some rather strange pricing on the 12 months plans for the Nokia Lumia 920

Contract	Monthly Price	Handset Price	calls	sms	data	Total
12	46	129.99	Unlimited	Unlimited	500MB	£681.99
12	51	49.99	Unlimited	Unlimited	1Gb	£661.99
12	56	19.99	Unlimited	Unlimited	3Gb	£691.99

So you can treble your data for £5 more a month...

It'll be a close call between this and some of the great sim only 3G (1 month) contracts from the likes of Tesco mobile and Virgin...If the phone comes in at the £500 sim only they it'll look very good comparatively .. If it comes in higher then it starts to eek away its edge...

With the Nexus 4 setting a new standard for low entry to market price points, here's hoping the price will come in low.

http://shop.ee.co.uk/nokia-lumia-920-black/pay-monthly/mobile-tariffs/

Update: If  the US news today is anything to go by then we could be in-store for some competitive pricing as AT&T have put the 920 on sale offline for a VERY low price ($449.99):
http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/07/att-selling-unlocked-lumia-920-449-99/

Update 2: It looks like EE have put the price up in what looks to be even more of a ridiculous move on what was already going to be a slight disadvantage for them. Price wise for people not concerned with fast speeds on low capped usage it now makes even less sense.... I'm hotly looking out for Lumia 920 sim only / pay and go deals with a low monthly sim only 1 month contract.

Here is a good one for the Lumia 820:
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/nokia-lumia-820-windows-phone-8-4-3-screen-1080p-video-8mp-camera-super-sensitive-1349007

Virgin extends free London tube WiFi coverage till 2013

I've enjoyed using this at Waterloo / Aldgate East but I would never pay for it unless it covered the tunnels as well as it's only for quick travel checks / updating new articles / pulling e-mails, all of which I can do on my way into the station....

Would have loved for The Cloud to extend into the Underground as I really like their service top side in Waterloo. Helps me catch football matches on my way home from work in the evenings.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/17/virgin-media-tube-wifi-extension/

UK Virgin Media Broadband Users Hit by Peak Time Congestion and Latency

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2012/10/virgin-media-broadband-users-hit-by-peak-time-congestion-and-latency.html

Virgin ramps 4G to a whopping 90Mbps - and switches it off

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/27/virgin_lte/

Virgin Media starts blocking Newzbin2 - The Inquirer

Virgin Media starts blocking Newzbin2 - The Inquirer