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Articles for Category Tag - Ofcom Regulation

Gov to Give CMA Power to Fine UK Broadband ISP Over Loyalty Penalty

18th June, 2019 (0 Comments)

The UK Government has proposed to beef up the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) so that it can “decide for itself whether consumer protection law has been broken” and impose fines for “wrongdoing,” such when potentially unfair pricing is applied to vulnerable customers (“loyalty penalty“).

Ofcom May Create Thousands of Local UK 5G Mobile Networks

17th June, 2019 (11 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator has controversially proposed that it may reserve 390MHz of spectrum in the 3.8-4.2GHz bands, which could be sold to “thousands” of new entrants in order to help them build 5G based mobile broadband networks for local coverage or industrial use (i.e. each license may cover just 50 square metres).

Ofcom to Tackle Unfair and Harmful Practices by UK Broadband ISPs

17th June, 2019 (11 Comments)

The national UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today begun a new consultation that seeks views on their plans to create a new Fairness Framework (guidelines), which will be designed to explain to broadband, phone and TV providers how they will consider whether their practices and the way they treat their customers is fair.

Mobile Operator EE Coughs to Being Late with 118 Price Cap

12th June, 2019 (7 Comments)

BT, the owner of EE, has provided information to Ofcom that suggests it failed to apply the regulator’s new price cap on UK calls to 118 numbers (Directory Enquiries) until mid-April 2019, which may have resulted in a tiny number of customers being incorrectly charged.

Ofcom Looks to Defragment 3.4-3.8GHz Bands to Boost 5G Mobile

11th June, 2019 (1 Comment)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has proposed to defragment (no.. not their computer hard disks) the 3.4-3.8GHz radio spectrum bands after next year’s auction, which could enable mobile network operators to get the best performance and save money on their new 5G ultrafast mobile broadband networks.

Ofcom UK CEO Sharon White to Exit Telecoms and Media Regulator

6th June, 2019 (16 Comments)

The CEO of Ofcom, Sharon White, has today confirmed that she will step down from her stewardship of the United Kingdom’s telecoms, broadband and media regulator by “around the turn of the year“. The regulator’s board will now begin the process of finding a replacement (subject to final approval by the DCMS Secretary of State).

Rural UK Landowners Seek Guarantees in Rural 4G Mobile Rollout

6th June, 2019 (10 Comments)

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), Countryside Alliance, National Farmers Union (NFU), Rural Services Network and Which? have today jointly called on the UK Government to ensure that the proposed plan by mobile broadband operators to improve rural 4G network coverage meets “four key tests.”

Ofcom Set March 2020 Launch for 10Mbps UK Broadband USO

6th June, 2019 (46 Comments)

The national telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today confirmed the final details for how the new 10Mbps+ (1Mbps upload) Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband – to be supplied by ISPs BT and KCOM – will be delivered and work once it’s introduced from 20th March 2020.

Ofcom to Share 8GHz and 26GHz Spectrum for Wireless Data and 5G

5th June, 2019 (8 Comments)

Ofcom has confirmed that they’re “planning” to make more spectrum available for “shared use” with existing services in the 8GHz and 26GHz radio spectrum bands, which is primarily intended to focus upon supporting high capacity fixed wireless broadband links and indoor 5G applications. The 1.4GHz band is also being freed.

ISP Zen Internet Extend Automatic Compensation System to Partners

4th June, 2019 (0 Comments)

Rochdale-based UK broadband provider Zen Internet has announced that Ofcom’s consumer focused automatic compensation scheme is being extended to its channel partners and wholesale customers. As a result customers of those partners will also be able to benefit, even if the partner ISP itself has not signed-up to the regulator’s code.

Openreach Discount UK Dark Fibre Alternative – Adds 7 Yr Contract

4th June, 2019 (10 Comments)

Openreach (BT) has discounted the pricing for their multi-Gigabit virtual (grey) dark fibre style solution (OSA Filter Connect / FSP3000) on 5 year contract terms and introduced a longer 7 year term in order to “better meet the needs of infrastructure providers,” which tend to plan their networks over a longer period of time.

UK ISPs Sign-up to New Ofcom Fairness for Customers Commitment

3rd June, 2019 (7 Comments)

The biggest home broadband, phone, mobile and pay TV providers from across the United Kingdom have today announced that they’re signing up to Ofcom’s new “Fairness for Customers” commitment, which covers a variety of areas from the quality of support to clarity of information and fairness in pricing.

Broadband ISPs Accused of Overcharging UK Consumers by £100m

30th May, 2019 (2 Comments)

The Citizens Advice agency has accused Ofcom of allowing UK phone and broadband providers to “overcharge” consumers to the tune of £100m between 2014 and 2018 due to “errors” they allegedly made when setting price controls on network operators. The charity now wants to see ISPs being forced to refund it.

Ofcom Push Dark Fibre and Unrestricted Openreach UK Duct Access

24th May, 2019 (18 Comments)

Ofcom has today proposed changes under their latest UK Physical Infrastructure (PIR) and Business Connectivity Market Reviews (BCMR), which imposes tougher service quality standards upon Openreach’s (BT) network, introduces a regulated Dark Fibre solution and gives ISPs “unrestricted access” to their cable ducts and poles.

Ofcom Owes UK Mobile Operators £220m in Licence Fee Dispute

20th May, 2019 (2 Comments)

The UK High Court of Justice has ruled that Ofcom must pay back £220m to mobile operators as part of restitution for the regulator’s handling of a licence fee hike to the 900MHz and 1800MHz (3G and 4G) spectrum bands (i.e. £82.4m to EE, £54.4m for Vodafone, £54.4m for O2 and £26.9m for Three UK).

Ofcom Encourages UK ISPs to Self-Assess Traffic Management Practices

16th May, 2019 (0 Comments)

Ofcom has closed an enforcement programme that was setup to examine the Traffic Management practices of broadband ISPs and mobile operators, which was done to test compliance with the EU’s Open Internet Access (net neutrality) and Roaming Regulations. Instead they’ve published a framework to help providers “self-assess proactively.”

Ofcom Force End of Contract Notices for UK Broadband and Mobile

15th May, 2019 (11 Comments)

Ofcom has today set out the final details of their new end-of-contract notification system (sent by text, email or letter) for UK customers of broadband ISPs, Pay TV, landline phone and mobile operators, which is designed to help tackle the so-called “loyalty penalty” and will keep consumers informed about the best available deals.