Ofcom Probe O2 UK Over December 2018 Network Outage

The national telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has confirmed that they’re probing mobile operator O2 (Telefonica UK) over a network outage that occurred on 6th December 2018.

Under section 105A(4) of the Communications Act 2003, such operators are required to “take all appropriate steps to protect, so far as possible, the availability of the provider’s public electronic communications network” (essential for ensuring that customers can access the emergency services etc.).

Over the past few years a number of operators have been fined and forced to make changes following network outages. For example, in 2017 Three UK was fined £1,890,000 after its network was temporarily unable to provide with access to the emergency services (here) and KCOM was fined £900,000 for a similar issue (here).

At this stage Ofcom are merely probing O2 to see if the operator kept within the rules during their recent outage (details). The regulator will continue to gather evidence until May 2019 and it might be toward the end of the year before we learn the outcome.