November Newsletter
2 November 2026
ISPA Awards
Join us on Thursday 26th November at black tie event in the Art Deco Sheraton Grand London Park Lane hotel as we announce the winners of the ISPA Awards 2026. We only have a few tickets left so if you are planning to join us, secure your tickets now. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ispa-awards-2026-tickets-1982882103750?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=1*o2vzvy*_up*MQ..*_ga*Mzc2ODM4MzQ4LjE3NzgwNjE5NDc.*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*czE3NzgwNjE5NDYkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzgwNjE5NTckajQ5JGwwJGgw
Policy Update
ISPA Policy Updates
Chancellor John Healey delivered his first Budget on 28 October. As expected, it was broadly a Budget for “keeping it steady”, spread across nearly 100 decisions, with the detail of several big commitments having been pushed back to next year’s Spending Review. Even so, the Budget signals an ambition to support investment and growth, and suggests technology won’t be left behind.
For telecoms, the Government committed to ensuring the UK has the digital infrastructure needed to support national resilience. We will be keeping an eye out for the year-end update on £750bn of planned infrastructure investment; the new critical projects legislation; and next year’s cyber consultation on insecure tech and breach liability.
The Government has laid an Order amending the Enterprise Act 2002. It adds continuity of telecoms supply as a new public interest consideration the Secretary of State can weigh in merger cases. In the Delegated Legislation Committee debate, a potential Supplier of Last Resort for telecoms was debated. The Secretary of State, Lisa Nandy, said existing legislation does not allow the Government to intervene when a provider fails and called for a new regulatory approach that gives a critical industry the resilience it needs without being overburdensome or harming competitiveness.
On cyber, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill completed Report stage in the Lords on 26 October. For telecoms, the Government held its line on the definition of relevant managed service providers, with the Information Commission to issue guidance on it before those provisions commence. The review, which must consider whether activities are already covered by comparable security rules, will need to survive when the Bill returns to the Commons. A consultation on the mandatory security and resilience requirements is expected in the coming months.
The Government has also published a White Paper on the security and resilience of critical undersea infrastructure, with a twelve-week consultation. It proposes new criminal penalties for damaging subsea cables; security and resilience duties for providers of subsea telecoms cable systems; and a new national security power to require industry to take specified action.
Finally, the Government has published draft guidance on the new subscription contracts regime, which applies from 1 January 2027. Phone and broadband contracts regulated by Ofcom are excluded. However, providers selling bundles that combine services under different regimes, such as TV streaming with broadband, will need to meet the requirements of each.
ISPA Policy
ISPA is engaging with MHCLG and the BSR to make sure the new dispensations are working in practice. Introduced through Circular 02/2026 and in force since 1 September, they exempt certain telecoms building work, including fibre installation in HRBs, from building control approval.
On cyber, ISPA has been monitoring the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill’s developments closely and will engage as secondary legislation develops. Our focus remains on getting clarity, through the forthcoming guidance, on which managed service providers fall in scope, and on streamlining compliance burdens. ISPA has also submitted its response to DCMS’s Call for Evidence on Sections 1 to 13 of the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021.
On online safety, ISPA has been feeding into the Home Office’s scoping work on how NCII will be reported and blocked. The Home Office is due to finalise its recommendations to Ministers in December, with regulations to follow in 2027.
Partners
Linksys|Fortinet
On-Demand Fortinet Webinar: The Dual Frontier of AI – Securing and Empowering ISPs
AI offers ISPs real gains in efficiency, service quality and growth. It also gives attackers new tools and creates risk through unsanctioned “shadow AI”. In this recorded webinar, Fortinet’s experts show how to handle both: defending against AI-powered threats while adopting AI safely and responsibly. You’ll learn how AI-driven security operations can cut response times and operating costs, how to control shadow AI before it puts customer data or your reputation at risk, and how a stronger security posture protects network uptime, customer trust and revenue. Watch now and turn AI from a risk into a competitive advantage.
Icotera
On Thursday 19 November, 14:00–15:00, Icotera partners with ISPA for the online webinar “Who Owns the Network? Sovereignty, Supply Chains and the Future of UK Fibre”. Our Andrew Woolhead and Jim Lucking will join operators and ISPs to discuss supply chain risk, single-vendor versus interoperable networks, and the move from G-PON to XGS-PON, drawing on our experience with open fibre gateways and ONTs.
One week later, on Thursday 26 November, we are proud to sponsor the Digital Inclusion Award at the 28th ISPA Awards, at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane. See you there!
Register for the webinar: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepIBRWVuPC-b8bCfhh3BBoPwI3RLXmBk4ORBS9Z_BpFixdWQ/viewform
Wi-Fi 8: The opportunity for ISPs
“Providers invest heavily in getting connectivity to the front door; the experience beyond it deserves the same attention.”
TP-Link’s Wi-Fi 8 white paper explores the technology behind the next generation of Wi-Fi, with an additional perspective from Paul Howard, ISP Pre-Sales Director at Aginet, on how greater wireless reliability could improve customers’ broadband experience while reducing recurring support calls and engineer visits.
Discover Wi-Fi 8’s focus on coverage and consistent performance, and what these developments could mean for service providers and their customers.
Read the white paper: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/wi-fi-8-white-paper-tp-linkuk-aginet-usppe/?trackingId=ZkvfgZyUq0rZUM8WtikAkg%3D%3D
Genexis is helping fibre broadband operators stay ahead by turning real customer feedback into smarter software
Genexis CTO, Conny Franzén, explains how continuous updates, automation, and remote management capabilities are affected by the everyday needs of service providers. The result? Greater network control, improved efficiency, and a better subscriber experience.
Learn how developing broadband technologies around real-world operator needs are vital
Partner events
ISPA is partnering with Smart Retail Tech Expo
Taking place on 11th and 12th November, you can get free tickets here.
Find more information about the event here.
CCUK Christmas Lunch – 9th December, London
ISPA members can get discounted tickets to the annual Comms Council UK Christmas lunch, simply select CCUK member tickets when booking.