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Articles for Category Tag - Ofcom Regulation

Ofcom Release UK Internet Piracy Tackling Initial Obligations Code for ISPs

26th June, 2012 (11 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has today released its revised Initial Obligations Code proposal, which is designed to clampdown on “illegal” internet piracy (copyright infringement) by customers of the largest broadband ISPs. The code is seen as a vital part of the controversial and much delayed Digital Economy Act (DEAct).

UK Competition Commission Stop BT Linking Broadband to Pension Payments

25th June, 2012 (3 Comments)

The Competition Commission (CC) has quietly ruled in Ofcom’s favour by preventing BT from including wholesale broadband charges into its deficit repair payments, which could have forced rival ISPs to pay tens of millions of pounds more in order to help pay down the operators £9bn pension deficit.

UPDATE Ofcoms UK Business Telecoms Review Unlikely to Make Big Changes

18th June, 2012 (0 Comments)

Ofcom has started a new review of the £2bn UK business telecoms market that proposes several changes to help “meet growing demand for fast data services“. Unfortunately any ISP hoping for improved access to BT’s network of dark fibre lines will be displeased, yet they do propose to regulate 1Gbps+ wholesale leased lines that exist outside London.

UPD2 BT Claim Ofcom Rules Hamper UK Superfast Broadband Investment

13th June, 2012 (27 Comments)

BT has told the Lords Select Committee Inquiry into the UK governments superfast broadband strategy that its new fibre optic based network (FTTC , FTTP) will need more freedom from Ofcom’s changing regulation and price controls if it is to make a bigger “long-term investment” in related services.

Ofcom Opens Review of UK ISP ADR Consumer Complaints Handlers

29th May, 2012 (0 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has launched a new review into its two Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) consumer complaint handlers – Ombudsman Services (OS) and the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) – after it was revealed that the system could sometimes impose unfair financial penalties against broadband ISPs.

Ofcom UK Fines Axis Telecom GBP30k for Making it Hard to Change ISP

23rd May, 2012 (0 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has fined broadband and phone provider Axis Telecom (Axis) £30,000 for abusing the ‘Cancel Other‘ mechanism, which is designed to protect consumers from being switched to another ISP without their consent (slamming), and for “attempting to induce consumers to terminate their contract” with the new ISP.

Ofcom to Publish UK ISP Internet Piracy Initial Obligations Code in June 2012

16th May, 2012 (4 Comments)

The UK governments Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed that Ofcom is expected to publish its final Initial Obligations Code of Practice proposal for tackling internet copyright infringement (piracy) by customers of broadband providers in June 2012, which is a much delayed requirement of the controversial Digital Economy Act (DEAct).

Ofcom UK Calls on BT and TalkTalk to Improve Broadband Speed Information

15th May, 2012 (6 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has today released the results from its latest mystery shopping research, which was designed to assess ISP compliance with the regulators Voluntary Code of Practice on Broadband Speeds. The study found that ISPs provided a speed estimate to consumers, without prompting, in 59% of all calls (rising to 93% after prompting, which is up from 85% in 2010).

Europe Finally Approves Cheaper Mobile Broadband Roaming from July 2012

10th May, 2012 (2 Comments)

The European Parliament (EC) has today voted unanimously (578 in favour, 10 opposing and 10 abstentions) to adopt new rules that, effective from 1st July 2012 (all EU Member States), will make it significantly cheaper to surf the internet from your Mobile Broadband connection while roaming abroad within the EU. The price of mobile voice calls and text (SMS) messages will also fall.

UK Broadband ISP Connections Top 20.43 Million in Q4 2011

1st May, 2012 (1 Comment)

The communications regulator, Ofcom, has confirmed in its latest quarterly Telecommunications Market Data Tables (Q4 2011) update that the UK is home to a total of 20.43 million fixed line home and small business broadband connections (excludes corporate), which includes 412,000 from superfast fibre optic based services (FTTC etc.).

Ofcom UK Proposes to Make Calls to 0800 Numbers Free from all Phones

4th April, 2012 (11 Comments)

Ofcom, the communications and media regulator, has today moved to simplify UK call charges by proposing to make all calls, from both fixed lines and mobile phones, to 0800 and 116 telephone numbers completely free. At present calls to 0800 numbers can, somewhat confusingly, still attract charges of up to 21p a minute from mobiles.

Ofcom UK Moots Mobile Broadband in UHF Spectrum Bands IV and V

29th March, 2012 (1 Comment)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has started a new consultation that will look at the long term development options (after 2018) for handling the valuable radio spectrum in Ultra High Frequency (UHF) bands IV and V. One option could be to repurpose them for use by Mobile Broadband services.

Europe Preliminarily Agrees Cheaper Mobile Broadband Roaming from July 2012

28th March, 2012 (0 Comments)

The European Commission (EC) has today reached a preliminary deal that should make it significantly cheaper to surf the internet from your Mobile Broadband connection while roaming abroad within the EU. In addition the price of mobile voice calls and text (SMS) messages will also be slashed.

Ofcom Delays 1800MHz for 4G Ruling as Three UK Threatens Legal Action

27th March, 2012 (6 Comments)

Ofcom has delayed its proposal to allow T-Mobile and Orange UK (Everything Everywhere) to launch the country’s first 4G superfast Mobile Broadband service over their existing 1800MHz (3G) spectrum band. Separately Three UK, in an effort to ensure that they get a fair slice of the much more valuable 800MHz spectrum (covers a wider area for less money), are now mulling legal action.

O2 UK Criticises Ofcom for Allowing T-Mobile and Orange to Offer 4G in 2012

24th March, 2012 (0 Comments)

Mobile operator O2 UK (Telefonica) has warned that Ofcom’s plan to auction off the 800MHz and 2.6GHz radio spectrum frequencies, which would be used by a new generation of 4G superfast Mobile Broadband services, could be put at “further risk of delay” after the regulator allowed T-Mobile and Orange UK (Everything Everywhere) to launch the country’s first 4G service over their existing 1800MHz (3G) band.

UPD TalkTalk UK Still Top of Ofcoms Most Complained about Broadband ISPs

22nd March, 2012 (5 Comments)

The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has today published its latest quarterly customer complaints data (Q4-2011) for broadband and mobile telecoms providers (those with a market share of more than 4%). Unfortunately the data shows that TalkTalk remains the most complained about ISP and, after having improved in previous quarters, appears to have returned to its old ways with complaints on the rise.

Vodafone Slam Ofcom UK for Letting T-Mobile and Orange Launch 4G in 2012

19th March, 2012 (7 Comments)

Last week’s proposal by the communications regulator, Ofcom, to allow mobile operators T-Mobile and Orange UK (Everything Everywhere) to launch a new generation of 4G superfast Mobile Broadband services over their existing 1800MHz (2G/3G) radio spectrum (here) has been heavily criticised by rival Vodafone, which suggested that the regulator had “[taken] leave of its senses“.