September 26, 2017

Ofcom has proposed a number of changes to the rules that apply to all UK communications providers, relating to areas including nuisance calls, complaints, billing, debt collection, disabled people and vulnerable customers.

Ofcom says that the changes to the “General Conditions of Entitlement”, which will come into force from 1 October 2018, afford new or strengthened regulation to protect consumers and aid its enforcement work.

In summary, Ofcom is proposing to:

• ban providers from charging for caller display facilities, which can help people to screen nuisance calls. The new rules confirm that telephone numbers displayed to people receiving calls must be valid, diallable and uniquely identify the caller. Ofcom is also requiring providers to identify and block calls with an invalid or non-diallable number so they do not get through to consumers. Ofcom is also consulting on new guidance to help providers comply with these new “calling line identification” requirements. The deadline for responses is 10 November 2017;
• introduce a new requirement for all communications providers to have clear, effective policies and procedures for identifying vulnerable customers, such as people with learning or communication difficulties or those suffering physical or mental illness or bereavement to ensure they are treated fairly and appropriately;
• require all communications providers to offer disabled users access to priority fault repair, third party bill management and accessible bills. These measures previously applied only to disabled people’s landline and mobile services, and will now extend to broadband;
• strengthen the complaints handling rules to ensure that complaints are dealt with promptly and effectively, and consumers are kept informed about the progress of their complaint, with faster access to dispute resolution services in cases where they reach deadlock with their provider;
• require broadband and mobile providers to have fair and transparent debt-collection and disconnection practices in place. This requirement already applies to landline providers; and
• extend current rules on billing accuracy, which previously only applied to voice call services, to include broadband.

More generally, Ofcom says that its proposals clarify and simplify many of its rules, making them easier for providers to understand. It has also deregulated where possible by lifting rules that are obsolete. Responses to the consultation are requested by 14 November 2017.

Alongside publishing its main decisions on this review, Ofcom is also consulting on three related matters:

• extending its powers to withdraw telephone numbers if they are misused, for example, to cause harm or nuisance, or engage in fraud;
• updating a 2003 direction specifying which public bodies may request communications services to be restored in the event of disasters; and
• draft guidance on how providers should handle customer requests to cancel their contracts.

For further information and details on how to respond, click here.