Telecoms regulation

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New UK foreign investment law to impact telecoms, digital and data transactions
ByRob Bratby 24 May 202124 May 2021

Summary By the end of 2021, many corporate transactions in the communications, data infrastructure, artificial intelligence, satellite and space technologies sectors (and some others) will be subject to mandatory notification to, and national security review by, the UK government. Implementation timetable The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (“Act“) became part of UK law on…

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Mobile | Ofcom | Regulatory action | Telecoms | UK

Ofcom announces UK 5G 2021 spectrum auction results
ByRob Bratby 27 April 202127 April 2021

On 27 April 2021, Ofcom announced the final results of the UK’s 2021 5G (700 MHz and 3.6-3.8 GHz bands) spectrum auction. The auction raised £1.379 bn pounds, only slightly higher than the £1.1bn reserve price. Results At the end of the assignment stage (27 April 2021), Ofcom granted the following UK spectrum licences: EE…

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Brexit | Fixed | Mobile | Ofcom | Regulatory action | Telecoms | UK

Ofcom sets regulatory framework for voice services in the UK
ByRob Bratby 10 April 202124 May 2021

Regulation of voice call termination in UK

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Broadband | DSIT | Fixed | Government policy | Ofcom | Regulatory action | Telecoms | UK

UK Gigabit fibre access regulation and funding
ByRob Bratby 31 March 202124 May 2021

Gigabit fibre to the home in the UK: Ofcom finalises regulatory framework and Government announces funding package for the “last 20%” On 18 March 2021, Ofcom published the outcome of its Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (“WFTMR“). On 19 March 2021 the UK Government’s Department for Culture Media and Sport (“DCMS“) announced £5 billion of…

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Brexit | Broadband | Cloud computing | EU | Government policy | Hardware | Mobile | Regulatory action | Services | Software | Technology | Telecoms | UK

EU and UK set out digital plans for coming decade
ByRob Bratby 18 March 2021

The European Commission has proposed a ‘digital compass’ to set its course for a digitally empowered Europe by 2030. The UK’s Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has also set out its top ten priorities for a technology driven future to ‘build back better’ following the Covid19 pandemic. European Digital Compass At a press…

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Brexit | Cloud computing | EU | Government policy | Regulatory action | Services | Software | Telecoms | UK

Europe progresses revised ePrivacy rules
ByRob Bratby 15 February 202115 February 2021

EU progresses revised ePrivacy Regulation

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Broadband | Fixed | Foreign direct investment | Government policy | Hardware | Mobile | Regulatory action | Software | Technology | Telecoms | UK | US

UK proposes statutory backing for Huawei 5G ban
ByRob Bratby 7 December 20207 December 2020

On 24 November 2020, the UK Government started the legislative process for a new Telecoms (Security) law which will, when passed into law, provide statutory backing for their already announced policy objective to exclude Huawei (and potentially other ‘high risk vendors’) from the UK’s 5G (and other) networks on the grounds on national security. This…

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Foreign direct investment | Government policy | Mobile | Regulatory action | Telecoms | UK

Ofcom sets 4 December deadline for UK 5G spectrum auction applications
ByRob Bratby 18 November 202011 April 2021

In a notice published today, 18 November 2020, Ofcom specified that the days for receipt of applications to participate in the 2021 UK 5G spectrum auctions are between the times of 10:00 (UK time) on 3 December 2020 and 16:00 (UK time) on 4 December 2020. More detail on the upcoming auctions can be found in this earlier post.

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Brexit | Cloud computing | Court decision | Data protection | EU | Regulatory action | Services | Technology | UK | US

Data export: EU provides more clarity after Schrems II
ByRob Bratby 17 November 202017 November 2020

In documents published last week, the EU provided some welcome clarity on how organisations should address the invalidation of Privacy Shield as a basis for exporting personal data from the EU. On 10 November 2020, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted recommendations on ‘supplemental measures’, which can be considered to ensure compliance with the…

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Cloud computing | Court decision | Data protection | EU | Regulatory action | Services | UK | US

EDPB guidance on ‘supplemental measures’ for data export
ByRob Bratby 17 November 202024 November 2020

On 10 November, the European Data Protection Board adopted a recommendation on supplemental measures which might be used to ensure compliance with the EU level of protection of personal data when exported to third countries with an insufficient level of protection. The recommendation both sets out a process to be followed by data exporters and,…

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Cloud computing | EU | Regulatory action | Services | Technology | UK | US

Prospect of increased regulation in UK for digital giants
ByRob Bratby 19 October 202019 October 2020

The Competition and Markets Authority, the UK Competition regulator, has said it will act against Facebook and Google if the government doesn’t set up a digital regulator within a year. According to the Financial Times, Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said: ‘Plan A is to have a regulatory framework. If [within a year]…

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Cloud computing | Data protection | EU | Regulatory action | Services | Technology | UK

European Data Protection Board releases updated data controller / date processor guidance for comment
ByRob Bratby 28 September 202012 November 2025

Are you sure you are a data processor? Introduction On 7 September 2020, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), successor to the ‘article 29 working party’, released updated guidance on the concepts of ‘data controller’ and ‘data processor’ under European Privacy law (i.e. General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR). Whilst this has already been subject…

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