50% of UK households now have a broadband line installed, but market growth is dropping. Rolling 12-month net additions were below three million for the first time since Q3 2004

The distribution business had a strong year, marred by a longer than usual Christmas hangover in the last quarter, but the early signs for the new financial year are promising

The distribution business was slightly weak despite good like-for-like store sales, due to the lower quality ‘off-the-page’ newspaper advertisement business being successfully cut back by the mobile operators

Swisscom's recent acquisition of 82% of Fastweb, among the largest altnets in Europe, provides the context for a much-needed strategic review. Fastweb is the principal competitor to Telecom Italia in the supply of telecoms services to business and residential customers, delivered mainly over its own network, which developed through local loop unbundling. Fastweb's has a sterling reputation with customers (in relation to TI's generally poor one). In this context, further network expansion should top Swisscom's review agenda, as well as Fastweb's IPTV offer, which has not proved to be a commercial success

Growth in revenue and EBITDA was adequate but a nasty surge in capex hit cash flow

The loss of Sky basic channels, strong competition and a maturing broadband market have combined to weaken Virgin Media’s top line results sufficiently to cause cash flow to decline

Carphone Warehouse is seeking to position itself as an impartial guide to the broadband products from 6 different brands, although it is not selling the product sets of BT, Sky or Tiscali

At 30th June 2007 there were approximately 14.5 million fixed broadband subscribers in the UK and residential broadband penetration was approximately 52%

Ofcom’s consultation document on Next Generation Access indicates a desire to avoid regulatory impediments to investment, not to force BT to act

O2’s new broadband offer is sensibly pitched as high quality at a reasonable price, but its reported target of 1 million users by 2010 looks ambitious