Broadband

SpaceX on Friday challenged the US Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) decision to deny the space company's satellite internet unit $885.5 million in rural broadband subsidies, calling the move "flawed" and "grossly unfair," in a regulatory filing. The FCC last month turned down applications from billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX and LTD Broadband for funds that had been tentatively awarded in 2020 under the commission's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, a multibillion dollar program in which SpaceX was poised to receive…

UK broadband firm Hyperoptic is trying to tempt users away from their current Internet Service Provider (ISP) with the launch of a new incentive that offers up to nine months of free internet access. This deal is aimed at helping those who are currently locked into expensive contracts with their ISP to cut down on those monthly outgoings with Hyperoptic saying it could save consumers over £160.As you might be aware, almost all providers will charge a hefty fee for leaving a deal early but that penalty will be offset…

Virgin Media has announced a new incentive that it hopes will make sure every corner of your home gets speedy broadband. The new WiFi Guarantee, promises to beam a solid internet connection around the entire property.If things drop to a snail's pace, Virgin will try and boost things via its WiFi pods and if that doesn't work then customers will receive £100 credit back on their account. The Intenet Service Provider (ISP) wants to make sure every room gets at least 20Mbps speeds - that's easily enough to stream Netflix and…

Virgin Media has just announced a limited-time deal that gives customers a nice cashback bonus when they sign up for certain TV and broadband bundles. The new deals - which are only available until Thursday, September 8 - include £200 paid back into accounts with bundles including the Bigger Movies, Bigger Sports or the Ultimate Volt plan.The credit can then be used to reduce the monthly bills with those taking out the Bigger Movies and Bigger Sports bundles basically getting the first three months free and anyone signing…

Anyone worried about the cost of living crisis might want to take a look at the latest and best deals from the Sky. The TV and broadband firm has just announced that some of its new contracts now come with a price freeze which means things won't go up when the usual yearly increases are announced. Sky usually hikes its monthly fees every April with almost all customers affected by the percentage changes but anyone joining the company today won't be hit by any rises until at least 2024.It's a deal that BT can't currently…

Cruise ship giant Royal Caribbean has announced that it will equip its fleet with SpaceX's Starlink broadband satellite internet service. The dishes are designed to provide a "better onboard experience for guests and crews fleetwide," and will be installed on its Royal Caribbean International, Silversea Cruises and Celebrity Cruises ships.  Earlier this year, SpaceX unveiled Starlink Maritime for boats at a cost of $5,000 per month, on top of a hardware investment of $10,000. In comparison, the standard residential…

Fancy getting your broadband for free? Thanks to Sky's best deals that's exactly what the satellite TV firm is offering its customers with it dishing out speedy internet access without charging them anything for the privilege. It's a tempting treat but sadly this deal - which has been running throughout August - won't last forever with Sky confirming that its free broadband incentive will end tomorrow, September 1.Those signing up before that deadline will be treated to fast 59Mbps downloads with the free deal lasting for…

Millions of UK homes are about to be hit by a huge rise in energy prices which will see some gas and electricity bills jump by a staggering 80 percent. The hike in the energy cap is to blame, with regulator Ofgem announcing that costs will increase from this October - another surge is then expected in January 2023. Once the higher cap comes into effect it will see the average price for electricity leap from 18p p/kWh to a whopping 52p p/kWh.It's a worrying time for millions of homes and many will be looking for ways to…

SpaceX may have found another way to put all those telescope blocking satellites it has littering night skies to some good use. Starting next year, T-Mobile phones will connect with SpaceX’s Starlink service to bring satellite internet to its devices in an effort to bring about, “the end of mobile dead zones.” If it works, the companies believe the new partnership could help bring internet connections to even the most remote areas in the States, especially those currently underserved by cell providers and fixed broadband…

Voters in Douglas County will get to decide in the fall whether the county should extend its open space sales and use tax for another 15 years and whether it can pursue building its own broadband network. The board of county commissioners referred both issues to the November ballot on Tuesday. The 0.17% open space tax extension would kick in on Jan. 1, 2024, and run until Jan. 1, 2039. It would be the continuation of a tax voters first put into effect in 1998. If it is voted down, the current open space sales tax would…