ReportWire

Tag: Virgin Media O2

  • Discord drops Persona after UK users blast age checks, Tech boss wins payout for whistleblowing on China move, – Tech Digest

    [ad_1]

    Share


    Discord has drawn significant criticism lately, thanks to a major data breach in October and the debut of a new “Teen-By-Default” policy, which will require select users to verify their age by uploading a government issued ID. At the root of the criticism was Discord’s involvement with Persona, an “age assurance” firm partially funded by controversial Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel. Hackers found that some of Persona’s frontend code was seemingly tied to US government surveillance efforts, including an apparent OpenAI-powered watchlist database. HotHardware.com

    A tech boss who was sacked by a British microchip company for blowing the whistle on a move to China has received a multimillion-dollar payout. Ron Black has received $2m (£1.5m) from Imagination Technologies after an employment tribunal declared he had been unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing. Mr Black was removed as Imagination’s chief executive in 2020 after alerting MPs to an attempted “coup” in which a Chinese state-owned investment firm planned to take over the company’s board. He later pursued the company at the employment tribunal, claiming his sacking prevented him from turning Imagination into a major player. Telegraph 

    It’s no secret that I’m fully in my Ikea era at the moment. If you’re unsure what that means, I’m basically on a personal mission to fill my house with as much IKEA smart home tech as possible, and it’s going very well so far. The main reasons behind this is simply because I’m constantly amazed at how much these very affordable devices can do. After trying the Timmerflotte temperature and humidity sensor last week, I couldn’t wait to get started on the biggest range within Ikea’s new Matter-compatible lineup – the Kajplats smart bulbs. T3.com


    Broadband ISP Virgin Media (O2)     has this morning confirmed that all new and existing Virgin TV 360 and Stream box customers with the ‘Sky Entertainment‘ channels (Sky Comedy, Sky Witness, and the soon to be relaunched Sky One) will soon also be able to access popular Sky Atlantic programming on channel 111, “at no extra cost“. The addition of Sky Atlantic, which will take place on 1st April 2026, follows the news that HBO Max will also be available to Virgin customers next month. ISPreview

    A self-driving Ford Mustang Mach-E is currently navigating the congested streets of London, employing its advanced AI to manoeuvre around pedestrians, cyclists, and roadworks. This autonomous vehicle, developed by British startup Wayve Technologies, is undergoing trials ahead of the UK government’s anticipated robotaxi launch this spring. The capital is set to become the latest battleground in the global robotaxi race, with US giant Waymo and China’s Baidu also slated to participate in the pilot programme. Independent

    In the UK, £70 may not guarantee quality, but it tends to mean you are getting a blockbuster or “AAA” – a big-budget game made by a large team, built around cutting-edge graphics, sprawling worlds and dozens of hours of gameplay. In 2025 Nintendo set a new benchmark for game prices when it listed major Switch titles such as Mario Kart World at £74.99 (launching in the US at $79.99). Meanwhile speculation grew from a 2025 report by gaming industry advisory company Epyllion that the next Grand Theft Auto will be the first game to be priced at $100. BBC 


    For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv

    Discover more from Tech Digest

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

    [ad_2]

    Chris Price

    Source link

  • Virgin Media O2 sees earnings fall after mobile phone price hikes – Tech Digest

    [ad_1]

    Share


    Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has issued a stark warning to investors, forecasting a significant drop in earnings for 2026 following a year marked by heavy customer losses and a decelerating fibre rollout.

    The telecoms giant revealed that it lost nearly 400,000 mobile customers and 138,000 broadband users in 2025, as aggressive price hikes took a visible toll on its subscriber base.

    The group’s financial outlook for the year ahead anticipates a decline in underlying earnings of between 3 percent and 5 percent. Chief Executive Lutz Schüler acknowledged the “challenging market conditions,” citing heightened promotional intensity and ongoing uncertainty in the consumer market as primary drivers for lower sales projections.

    A major factor in the customer exodus was the October announcement of a substantial price hike for mobile users, which triggered a net loss of 164,800 contract mobile connections in the fourth quarter alone.

    On the fixed-line side, the company shed 16,700 broadband customers in the final three months of the year, bringing total broadband losses for 2025 to over 138,000.

    Simultaneously, the pace of VMO2’s infrastructure expansion has begun to cool. The group’s gigabit broadband coverage increased by 115,100 premises in the fourth quarter, a notable drop from the 139,000 recorded in the previous quarter.

    Much of this build-out relies on nexfibre, a joint venture between VMO2’s parents and InfraVia Capital Partners, which is currently navigating its own strategic hurdles.

    In a move to regain momentum, VMO2’s parent companies – Liberty Global and Telefonica – announced a £2 billion deal to acquire the British alternative fibre firm Substantial Group, which includes the Netomnia network.

    While the move is intended to strengthen VMO2’s position against BT’s Openreach, it has already drawn fire from rivals. CityFibre has called for a thorough investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), warning that the merger could re-establish an “ineffective duopoly” and stifle consumer choice.

    As the company braces for a difficult 2026, it plans to implement cost-saving measures to offset falling revenues, even as it continues its ambitious plan to upgrade its entire legacy network to full fibre by 2028.


    For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv

    Discover more from Tech Digest

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

    [ad_2]

    Chris Price

    Source link

  • Elon Musk’s Starlink undercuts BT in UK broadband price war – Tech Digest

    [ad_1]

    Share

    Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, has intensified the competition in the British broadband market by slashing prices to levels that now undercut traditional industry leader BT.

    The move signals a major shift for the SpaceX-owned company, transitioning from a premium niche service for remote areas to a direct competitor for mainstream UK households.

    Following a series of aggressive price cuts, Starlink has launched a high-speed internet tier priced at just £35 per month in selected areas. This marks a significant drop from its previous entry-level cost of £55 and positions it as a cheaper alternative to BT’s equivalent package, which currently retails for £40.

    Even Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), typically known for competitive pricing, sits slightly higher at £36 per month.

    Industry analysts suggest that even when Starlink’s £94 hardware installation fee is factored in, the service remains more cost-effective than BT over the course of a standard 24-month contract.

    The discounted package provides download speeds of 100Mbps, a threshold classified as “ultrafast” and suitable for high-demand activities such as 4K streaming, online gaming, and simultaneous video conferencing.

    The timing of the price war is particularly challenging for BT. The former monopoly is currently facing scrutiny over its digital landline switchover and the loss of customers on its Openreach network.

    Analysts at New Street Research warned that Starlink is becoming an “incremental player” in the market, likely leading to further customer losses for flagship brands.

    Starlink’s infrastructure relies on a constellation of approximately 9,500 low-earth orbit satellites, allowing it to provide connectivity in rural “not-spots” where traditional fibre cables are difficult to install.

    While the company had roughly 110,000 UK customers as of mid-2025, experts predict that this figure could more than triple to 350,000 as Musk targets a 1% share of the total UK market.

    The move is also seen as a pre-emptive strike against Jeff Bezos’s Amazon, which is preparing to launch a rival satellite service, Amazon Leo, later this year.

    As satellite and mobile alternatives gain traction, traditional providers are seeing the first subscriber declines in history, forcing a race to integrate space-based technology into their own networks.


    For latest tech stories go to TechDigest.tv

    Discover more from Tech Digest

    Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

    [ad_2]

    Chris Price

    Source link