Latest news with #CommunityFibre
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chartered IIA concern over internal audit in broadband sector
The Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors (Chartered IIA) has expressed concerns regarding the lack of internal audit functions within several prominent broadband providers, warning that this could increase the risk of company failures. In a letter directed to Ofcom's chief executive, Dame Melanie Dawes, the Chartered IIA has called for the establishment of a 'clear expectation' that broadband companies implement internal audit processes to strengthen governance, risk management, and internal controls. The communication identifies six broadband companies—Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, Utility Warehouse, YouFibre, Glide, and CityFibre—that currently do not have internal audit capabilities. These companies together cater to around two million customers and, in certain cases, are involved in the construction and maintenance of their own network infrastructures. The Chartered IIA highlighted the absence of any regulatory framework or guidance from Ofcom that recognises the vital role of internal audit in ensuring effective governance and risk management within the sector. The letter also draws attention to actions taken by other regulatory bodies. For instance, Ofgem has recently required energy suppliers to disclose their internal audit capabilities in its updated Financial Responsibility Principle Guidance. The letter concludes: 'Setting a clear regulatory expectation for broadband companies to have appropriate internal audit arrangements would strengthen independent oversight of how key risks are managed, improve organisational resilience, build investor confidence, and support the growth of the UK's digital economy.' Additionally, both the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have made internal audit a requirement in the financial services industry. Furthermore, the Independent Water Commission chair Sir Jon Cunliffe recently recommended the dissolution of Ofwat, advocating for improved governance and oversight in the water sector. In light of these issues, the Chartered IIA has urged Ofcom to take immediate steps to enhance governance and oversight for broadband providers, given their critical role in the UK's digital infrastructure. Chartered IIA chief executive Anne Kiem said: 'Broadband companies are now essential to daily life and the economy. Yet, nearly half of the UK's major broadband providers are operating without internal audit. 'This is a serious audit and governance weakness. We've seen time and again the damage caused when companies collapse due to failures that might have been prevented with proper internal controls. We cannot afford to make the same mistakes with broadband companies.' "Chartered IIA concern over internal audit in broadband sector" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Daily Mirror
05-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
London broadband users can beat Sky and Virgin prices with £20 offer
Community Fibre's flash sale ends at 11:59 tonight Those living in or around London looking for a cheaper broadband price to lock in might be in luck. Community Fibre has launched a new deal, and it beats rivals including Sky and Virgin Media. For £20 a month, shoppers can get 500mb/s download speeds through Community Fibre, and for an additional £5 a month, they can get 1Gbps download speed - perfect for heavy downloading and gaming. When shoppers compare it to Virgin Media or Sky, it works out cheaper. For example, Sky offers 900mbs for a £39 a month while Virgin Media offers 500Mbs download speeds for £29.99 a month. The only catch is that Community Fibre is only available for London homeowners or renters around the capital. However, there is a time limit as the deal finishes today, at 11:59pm this August 5. Community Fibre offers the package with no set-up fee, a free router, and only a £2 yearly increase in bills. That means that in April next year, users will only pay £22 a month compared to other companies that can hike the prices even more. Alternatively, PlusNet is offering shoppers a free £75 reward card with its broadband packages, with prices starting from £24.99 a month. There's also Vodafone, which has competitive broadband deals for most people around the country, and Vodafone will pay up to £100 to cover cancellation fees. Community Fibre also has great Trustpilot reviews from shoppers. One reviewer said: "We have recently bought Community Fibre Broadband and the performance is great. The broadband is fast, and the range of the WiFi signal covers a good distance. "The signal reaches every corner of the house, giving good reception to the internet. We are satisfied with the service provided by Community Fibre. "It is worth it, and the speed we are receiving is 150 Mbps, which is super fast. The internet has not stopped or had any issues so far." Another reviewer added: "I have been with Community Fibre for nearly three years. They have outstanding internet, outstanding staff, and wonderful customer service." However, some shoppers did complain about installations feeling rushed. One reviewer who left four stars said: "I felt the installation was slightly rushed. "It would have been better to have a more explanation as to how the mesh system works, best practices and the WiFi signal tested through the house. The installer has also left a bunch of cables at the bottom of the telephone post".
Times
22-06-2025
- Business
- Times
Community Fibre eyes mobile market launch to rival big networks
A broadband company led by the former bosses of EE and Virgin Mobile, and backed by Warburg Pincus, the American private equity firm, is considering the launch of a new mobile telecoms operator. Community Fibre is exploring opportunities to start offering e-Sim services as early as this summer, before eventually rolling out virtual Sim-only contracts, in an effort to capitalise on its existing customer base of almost 400,000 through cross-selling mobile services. An e-Sim replaces the physical Sim card in a phone and enables users to switch easily between different providers, using a cheap local network when travelling. The new operator would initially be launched under the company's existing brand and, like other mobile virtual network operators (MVNO), would use the network of another provider rather than building its own infrastructure. Community Fibre is one of a number of alternative network providers, or 'altnets', that have sprung up in recent years to challenge Openreach and Virgin Media O2 in building full-fibre networks. However, its management team has ample experience in the UK mobile market. Graeme Oxby, its chief executive, previously led mobile operations for Virgin Media, which was later bought by Liberty Global and merged with O2, while Olaf Swantee, Community Fibre's chairman, was the former chief executive of EE before its takeover by BT. Such a move would mark the latest shake-up of the UK's mobile sector, which has led to MVNOs gaining a greater share of the UK market, heaping pressure on the larger network infrastructure operators: EE, O2 and the newly merged Vodafone-Three. Research by Enders Analysis showed that the UK's network operators lost contract subscribers for the first time last year, while MVNOs gained 1.65 million. The research specialist attributes the rise of virtual operators to the cost of living crisis and longer handset lifespans, which has increased demand for Sim-only contracts, 'a traditional area of strength' for the MVNOs. Vodafone-Three has said it is aiming to attract more MVNOs, a market that it has traditionally underplayed in, with only 10 per cent of virtual operators in the UK using its network. However, altnets have also come under increasing pressure from rising costs and debt levels, as well as heightened price competition as providers attempt to recoup the huge investment in building their infrastructure by bringing more customers on to their networks. Community Fibre, which has built out its network to 1.3 million premises, generated adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and other items of £8 million last year, which it expects to increase this year. • VMO2 to merge enterprise operations with Daisy Group However, it made a pre-tax loss of £119 million last year, according to its latest accounts filed at Companies House. It has said it expects to be 'cashflow positive' during the first half of next year, from an outflow of £8 million the year before. The challenges have raised expectations of a consolidation within the sector, although merger and acquisition activity has yet to gather momentum, which some analysts have attributed to a lack of potential buyers able to pay cash for targets and institutional backers being unwilling to accept a writedown in the value of their businesses at takeout.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Major sports app lands on more TV screens showing FREE football for millions in ‘game changer'
A MAJOR sports app is launching on more TV screens, meaning millions will get access to the FIFA Club World Cup for free. The Club World Cup began this weekend and will see 32 teams from all six FIFA confederations compete for the cup in the USA. 3 3 Channel 5 will be showing 23 of the matches for free in the UK, however, all of the matches will be shown by DAZN, which has the main rights to the tournament. And although you may think that you don't have access to DAZN, it has just launched across Netgem devices across the UK, Ireland and Gibraltar. Many internet service providers such as BRSK, Community Fibre, WightFibre and TalkTalk TV offer Netgem TV as part of a TV bundle. This means that if you are with one of these providers, you should be able to watch all the the Club World Cup games for free. Thanks to the deal, Netgem TV users now have access to every premium football game via Prime Video, DAZN, Discovery+ (TNT Sports) and NOW (Sky Sports). DAZN also gives users access to NFL Game Pass, National League TV, FIBA Courtside 1891, major boxing events, MMA, darts, golf, motorsports, and tennis. 'This is a game-changer for sports fans", said Sylvain Thevenot, Managing Director of Netgem Pleio, Streaming services for Operators. "Partnering with DAZN catapults our entertainment offering to a new level for both our customers and telecom operator partners across Europe. "Access to world-class sporting events like this will undoubtedly drive massive customer engagement and satisfaction.' Peter Parmenter, EVP Business Development at DAZN, said: 'This is great news for sports fans in the UK, Ireland and Gibraltar, who will be able to enjoy DAZN's extensive selection of premium sports content in even more ways. Chelsea launch Club World Cup campaign with 2-0 victory over LAFC in Atlanta "We are excited to enter this partnership with Netgem, as we continue to set the standard in digital sports entertainment experiences.' DAZN Club World Cup games will be commentated by pundits including Luke Wileman, Tony Husband, Andres Cantor and Kevin Egan. Alex Scott, Lauren Jbara and Katie Witham will host programmes on the network. Studio analysis and co-commentary will come from the likes of Steve McManaman, Juan Pablo Angel, Brian Dunseth, Mo Adams, Conor Coady and Brad Guzan. 3 Gary Lineker has now agreed a deal with DAZN after stepping down as presenter from BBC's Match of the Day that will see his The Rest Is Football Podcast broadcast highlights of the Club World Cup. The show, which features Alan Shearer and Micah Richards as co-hosts, will show the best bits from matches in the video version of the podcast. The FIFA Club World Cup began on June 14, with the final taking place on July 13. It is being held in 12 cities across the US and teams such as Chelsea, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Man City are all in the tournament.
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Millions of mobile phone customers offered better coverage at ‘no extra cost'
The biggest mobile phone network in the UK has promised its 27 million customers better coverage 'at no extra cost' within months. VodafoneThree – created following the completion of the £15 billion mega-merger between Vodafone and Three just last week – said customers will experience better signal with shared access across both networks at no extra cost. Voxi, Smarty and Talkmobile – which use the Three and Vodafone networks – are also set to benefit. VodafoneThree said within two weeks, seven million Three and Smarty customers will receive an improvement in 4G data speed of up to 20 per cent, while 27 million Vodafone and Three customers will start to benefit from 'unrivalled' access to roam on each other's networks at no extra cost with a few months. It said the changes would happen automatically, with customers' phones simply connecting to the best coverage available. By the end of the year, this would remove a total of 16,500 sq/km of 'not spots' – equivalent to 10 times the size of London – with the first sites already having been turned on. It has also announced plans to launch trials of a 'first of its kind' space-based satellite mobile network coverage by this time next year to eliminate more 'not spots'. VodafoneThree said it aimed to challenge the broadband market by aiming to cover all homes with fibre or 'fibre-like' speeds, starting with a new partnership with Community Fibre on top of existing partnerships with CityFibre and Openreach. Two additional customer care centres in Belfast and Sheffield would bring 400 jobs back to the UK, with no planned retail redundancies, it added. VodafoneThree chief executive Max Taylor said that a 'new era of connectivity has begun'. 'We will connect every nation, every community, in every corner of the UK. We will build the UK's best 5G network with an unprecedented £11 billion privately-funded infrastructure project, laying the digital foundation for our country's growth ambitions. 'Benefits for our 27 million mobile customers will start within months, with access to roam across both networks at no extra cost. From big cities to small towns, and everywhere in between, our mission is to build the UK's best network.'
