… Energy costs are continuing to surge with prices increasing by 70% in recent years. …

Mobile network operators have warned they could be forced to ration phone signal access to combat soaring energy prices triggered by the war in Iran.

In a stark warning to the Government, telecoms giants including VodafoneThree, Virgin Media O2 and BT-owned EE said they were drawing up emergency contingency plans after being excluded from Rachel Reeves’s energy support scheme.

These include rationing access to their networks or slowing down speeds to help reduce energy use. Another option is surge pricing, which would charge customers an additional fee at peak times.

The Iran war is the convenient excuse but, in reality, this is due to Britain’s Net Zero policies in which Energy Secretary Ed Miliband recently doubled down on them.

While there’s clearly an element of strategic positioning to qualify for British government subsidies, absorbing a 70% cost increase presents serious challenges for any business, particularly energy-intensive technology firms.

The British government appears disconnected from the reality of energy expenses and seems unwilling to address the economic distress affecting what remains of Britain’s industrial base. Their repeated promises that affordable renewable energy solutions are imminent, or that their grid-ready nuclear fusion facility in Nottinghamshire will be operational by 2040, primarily resonate with those already committed to climate-focused policies rather than convincing skeptics or addressing immediate business concerns.