Home » UK ISP News Archive » Article Tag: Ofcom Regulation (1465 Posts)

Articles for Category Tag - Ofcom Regulation

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Ofcom Consult on UK Telecoms Resilience and Battery Backup for Mobile Masts

8th December, 2023 (23 Comments)

Ofcom has today proposed to update their resilience guidance to provide greater clarity on how UK broadband ISPs, mobile operators and other digital network companies can “reduce the risk of network outages“. Separately, they’re also seeking feedback on the issue of inadequate power backup at mobile network sites.

Mobile Operators Sued for £3bn Due to UK Airtime Plan Overcharging

8th December, 2023 (13 Comments)

Mobile network operators including EE (BT), Vodafone, Three UK and O2 (VMO2) are facing a class action claim worth “at least” £3.285bn from consumer rights champion Justin Gutmann and the law firm Charles Lyndon, which accuses them of historically overcharging for mobile handsets beyond the end of their contractual term.

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Expectations for UK ISPs as Ofcom Move to Tackle Internet Porn

5th December, 2023 (28 Comments)

Ofcom has today set out DRAFT guidance on how “highly effective” UK internet age verification checks must be implemented to stop children from accessing online porn websites and services as part of the wider Online Safety Act. But concerns remain over user privacy, while broadband ISPs may be asked to block websites that fail to comply.

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Ofcom UK Tackle Consumer Harm Caused by Cash for Calls Schemes

1st December, 2023 (4 Comments)

The UK telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today launched a new consultation that looks set to tackle the risk of consumer harm from so-called “cash for calls” schemes. This will work by making clear that revenue sharing on certain phone number ranges (e.g. 084 and 087) will not be permitted.

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Ofcom Begins Review of UK Telecoms Complaints Handlers

29th November, 2023 (13 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today began a review to examine whether the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) providers, which are third-party ombudsman schemes that help consumers to resolve complaints with their phone providers, broadband ISPs and mobile operators, is working effectively.

Labour Party Pledge to Protect £5bn UK Gigabit Broadband Project

29th November, 2023 (57 Comments)

Chris Bryant, the UK Labour Party’s Shadow Minister for the Creative Industries & Digital, has perhaps unsurprisingly indicated that – should the party be elected at the next General Election – they would honour the Government’s existing £5bn Project Gigabit broadband roll-out programme. But some market intervention may occur.

Ofcom to Release More Shared Spectrum in 3.8-4.2GHz for UK 5G

23rd November, 2023 (0 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has begun to consult on an update to their spectrum sharing framework, which among other things proposes a more flexible management approach to improve local spectrum availability for 5G (mobile / wireless broadband) and the related release of more shared frequency in the busiest 3.8 – 4.2 GHz bands.

Ofcom UK Take on Regulation of Premium Rate Phone Services

21st November, 2023 (0 Comments)

The UK telecoms, internet and media regulator, Ofcom, has today launched a new consultation on a proposed rule change that would see responsibility for day-to-day regulation of Premium Rate Services (PRS) being effectively transferred from the Phone-Paid Services Authority (PSA) to Ofcom.

Ofcom UK Fines Shell Energy £1.4m for Broadband Contract Failings

21st November, 2023 (7 Comments)

Broadband ISP, phone and energy provider Shell Energy, which is in the process of being sold to the Octopus Energy Group (here), has today been fined £1.4m by Ofcom for “not properly prompting more than 70,000 phone and broadband customers” to review their contract or informing them of the best deals.

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Virgin Media’s UK Customers Plagued by Phantom Netflix Bills

17th November, 2023 (27 Comments)

Some existing and former customers of TV, phone and broadband provider Virgin Media (VMO2) are complaining that the ISP is continuing to hit them with wrongful Netflix subscription charges, which is despite those impacted having either never taken the service or cancelling it months ago. The problem has gone unresolved for months.

Survey Suspects UK Broadband ISPs Profit from Confusing Jargon

9th November, 2023 (18 Comments)

Do you know your FTTPs from your Gigabits, FTTC and ADSL? A new survey of 2,008 UK broadband customers, which was conducted between 18th to 20th October 2023 by Broadband Genie, has found that 63% feel internet providers use “confusing language” and 54% believe they “hide behind baffling jargon to squeeze more money out of customers“.

Ofcom UK Detail 5G Mobile Auction Plan for 26GHz and 40GHz

8th November, 2023 (9 Comments)

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today set out the design of their planned auction for a large chunk of millimetre wave (mmW) radio spectrum frequency across the 26GHz and 40GHz bands, which is to be used by mobile network operators to deliver even faster 5G (mobile broadband) services – mostly across urban areas.

85 Percent of UK Says Mid-Contract Telecoms Price Hikes are Unfair

2nd November, 2023 (35 Comments)

A new Opinium survey of 2,000 UK adults, which was commissioned by Uswitch, has today claimed that 85% of broadband ISP and mobile customers view annual price rises as “unfair” and 87% think they should be allowed to leave their provider penalty free if they raise prices mid-contract.

October 2023 BT Progress Update on 10Mbps UK Broadband USO

1st November, 2023 (11 Comments)

UK ISP BT has published their latest biannual (October 2023) update on the progress they’ve made in delivering Ofcom’s flaky 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband. The operator has so far built a USO connection to over 7,681 premises (up from 7,000 in Apr 2023), with 185 further builds in progress (down from 800).

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Ofcom Rejects Openreach Request to Tweak UK QoS Targets UPDATE

30th October, 2023 (0 Comments)

Ofcom has today decided NOT to change how it calculates one of Openreach’s regulated Quality of Service (QoS) standards for Ethernet and Dark Fibre repairs, which would have replaced the current “on-time repair” (OTR) target with a “mean time to repair” (MTTR) alternative.

A Sobering Reminder that Ofcom’s Auto Compensation System has Limits UPDATE2

30th October, 2023 (13 Comments)

The case of a pregnant UK mother who, while living in a house with no mobile signal and a 3-week-long outage of Openreach’s broadband and phone services, ended up giving birth on the kitchen floor due to an inability to call 999 – is today also highlighting a key caveat in Ofcom’s system of Automatic Compensation.

Ofcom Finalises Softer UK Rules to Protect the Open Internet UPDATE

26th October, 2023 (19 Comments)

Ofcom has finalised their move to soften the Net Neutrality rules, which were originally established to prevent unfair blocking or slowing of access to legal websites and internet services by broadband ISPs and mobile operators. Providers will now gain more flexibility to create “premium” packages (e.g. better latency) and “specialised services“.