Blogs - TalkTalk

Monday, August 23rd 2010

Ofcom's latest figures have shown that 71 per cent of households in the UK have broadband. While that's a fairly healthy figure, it still means more than a quarter of people are unable to browse the web at high speeds.

We know there are still plenty of parts of the country where it's impossible to get a connection. However, some of the 29 per cent without broadband will be able to access it, but are being put off by factors such as perceived high costs.

Anyone in this situation should be assured that there has never been a better time to sign up for a cheap broadband deal.

Thursday, July 8th 2010

With the amount of comparison sites and advice available to consumers, it is understandable that the broadband industry is often defined by its rather cutthroat nature.

Whether it is Sky and BT battling over the price of digital TV deals or all providers introducing offers to undercut their direct rivals, the sector is often seen as one where there is little love lost between the different companies.

However, there are signs - just occasionally - that there is more of a relationship between many providers than we are led to believe. Evidence of this has been seen in recent months with Sky and Virgin Media uniting in their opposition to Project Canvas, as well as the former buying the latter's digital TV portfolio.

Wednesday, June 30th 2010

Most people would readily admit that when it comes to subscription digital TV services in the UK, Sky and Virgin Media pretty much have the market sewn up.

This could be a reason why both have been wary of Project Canvas, the venture involving partners such as TalkTalk, BT, the BBC, ITV and Five that will see the development of the YouView web-connected set-top box offering on-demand content.

According to the Daily Telegraph, TalkTalk is planning to offer the devices – priced at £200 – as part of some of its broadband bundles from next year.

Friday, June 18th 2010

When it comes to switching broadband and home phone provider, many people now acknowledge that it is often best for them to see out the minimum term on a contract before even considering looking elsewhere.

However, positive discussions held between Ofcom and top broadband providers such as BT and Virgin Media over the past 18 months look set to change all of that. While those companies have previously claimed that their early termination charges on phone deals are fair, negotiations have seen the providers commit to cutting the costs by as much as 85 per cent.

As the figure might suggest, this has had a major impact.

Wednesday, May 19th 2010

If one of the UK's leading broadband and home phone providers is to be believed, it's good to talk. However, if that is indeed true, it can be argued that the companies are making it harder for us to do so at a lower cost.

News has emerged that, from the start of June, Sky will join TalkTalk and BT by beginning its off-peak call period an hour later at 19:00 BST – a move described by some experts as "a real slap in the face" for many consumers.

In addition, all three of the providers have revealed plans to increase the price of daytime calls, meaning those who mistakenly pick up the phone at 18:00 BST will be hit even harder.

Tuesday, May 11th 2010

So the results are out and it seems that going it alone has not done home phone and broadband provider TalkTalk any harm at all.

In its financial results for the final quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31st, the internet service provider revealed that its total revenue increased by 27.1 per cent, while its operating free cash-flow rose to £128 million.

TalkTalk's broadband services appear to be as popular as ever, with its year-end customer base standing at 4.19 million – thanks to the addition of 42,000 net new subscribers during the quarter.

According to the company's chairman Charles Dunstone, the past year has been "transformational".

Monday, April 19th 2010

Ever since its big money deal to take over Tiscali, TalkTalk has appeared like a broadband provider on the up. However, it appears that the firm's star continues to be in the ascendancy, as it faces up to some pretty big changes over the next few weeks.

First up is the opening of the company's new office space in Soho where, as well as allowing customers to sample their services, entrepreneurs will be able to make use of bookable office space and free internet access.

According to the Guardian, start-ups seem excited by the launch, which will give them a central base of operations with which to communicate and meet with clients based in the capital.

Friday, April 9th 2010

The digital economy bill has been hitting headlines for months and even as it is passed into law, debate is raging on about its merits and pitfalls.

It was passed by a vote of 189 to 47; however, many MPs failed to turn up to the vote, causing many of the bill's critics, which include broadband provider TalkTalk, to argue that it was not properly debated and simply rushed through before the general election.

Measures contained within the bill, including plans to tackle online piracy and illegal file-sharing by enforcing internet bans for persistent offenders, have been widely criticised by the bill's opponents, who say it is dangerous and undemocratic.

Friday, March 26th 2010

Like any Budget, Alistair Darling's latest has received a mixed response from both businesses and the public. However, while some debate whether the announcement was just political canvassing, the broadband industry has other concerns.

The decision to include the proposed 50p-a-month broadband tax in the speech has raised concerns from a number of broadband providers in the UK, with TalkTalk perhaps being the most high-profile.

While the company has long been opposed to the levy, which will fund the rollout of fibre optic cable broadband, the decision to green-light the tax has seen TalkTalk up its protest campaign.

Friday, March 5th 2010

Since its acquisition of Tiscali, big things have been expected from TalkTalk in the broadband market. As it is now technically the biggest residential internet provider in the UK, a lot of industry commentators have been holding out to see what the firm's next plans for expansion could be.

Well, it seems that the next step is just to make its services better. Alex Hollingdale, director of product management at TalkTalk, has revealed in a blog that it is making up to £20 million of upgrades to its backhaul network. Hopes are high that the move will give its customers access to faster and more efficient connections.

Thursday, February 18th 2010

The announcement that broadband provider TalkTalk is now offering free calls to over-65s just for a chat has unsurprisingly raised a few eyebrows.

While many would regard the launch of the free We'll Call You service as a positive step and an effort by the company to show its caring side, a more cynical view is that the firm is simply using the project as a profile-boosting stunt to gain more subscribers.

Another opinion could be that the company is muscling in on areas which are usually the primary concern of charities and social services.

However, Mark Schmid, communications director of TalkTalk, has stated that the company is simply responding to a "need which is not currently being met".

Thursday, January 21st 2010

Broadband provider TalkTalk has enjoyed a successful 12 months or so. Since announcing its acquisition of Tiscali last year, the company has grown to become the UK's largest residential broadband provider and even sponsored one of the UK's biggest TV shows, The X Factor.

However, the company has highlighted its latest ambitions to provide a strong challenge to rival broadband providers.

Charles Dunstone, the chief executive of both TalkTalk and its parent company Carphone Warehouse, has revealed that the firm could launch its own fibre optic broadband service to compete with BT, reports the Financial Times.

Thursday, December 24th 2009

Tiscali customers may have braced themselves for the upheaval of TalkTalk's takeover, but they could be affected more than they realise.

TalkTalk has now said all Tiscali broadband-only subscribers must transfer across to its phone line rental service if they wish to avoid extra charges in the new year.

As ISPreview has reported, customers who do not make the upgrade will face paying an extra £60 per year for web access.

This is because TalkTalk – the telecommunications arm of broadband provider Carphone Warehouse – is raising the monthly cost of its newly-acquired broadband-only deal from £14.99 to £19.99.

Monday, December 14th 2009

What's the most important aspect of broadband? Ask any subscriber at the moment and they are likely to mention speed. Recent figures from TalkTalk highlighted this, as they revealed 70 per cent of people get frustrated when they have to wait over a minute for a webpage to load.

Coincidentally, TalkTalk is one broadband provider that is making moves to ensure their customers are getting the fastest service available. From January 1st, all of the company's subscribers will be offered broadband speeds of up to 24Mbps as standard.

Monday, November 30th 2009

When TalkTalk revealed last month that up to seven million broadband connections could be susceptible to wireless broadband hijacking, a notable conclusion was that this did not mean people actually are taking advantage of such poor security.

However, another study released this week by a rival comparison website has revealed that broadband users across the UK are maybe not the honest bunch that you would presume.

It found that over four million Brits have piggybacked on another broadband user's wireless connection without their knowledge, meaning they can enjoy free access to the web and could even steal identity information.