Following consultation, Ofcom has set out its areas of work for the coming year:

• investment in strong, secure networks: Ofcom will support continued investment in high-quality and reliable broadband and mobile networks;
• getting everyone connected: Ofcom wants to ensure that people and businesses can access communications services, and that nobody is left behind as services evolve; it will work to make sure that the universal postal service is sustainable for the future;
• fairness for customers: Ofcom will support customers and ensure they are treated fairly, continuing its fairness for customers programme and tackling scams; having set clear standards, Ofcom will shift its focus to monitoring and understanding the effect of the implementation and delivery of those interventions;
• enabling wireless services in the broader economy: Ofcom manages the UK’s spectrum for the benefit of everyone in the UK; its goal is to drive efficiency and support innovation, ensuring this invisible, essential and finite resource is used efficiently;
• supporting and developing UK media: Ofcom will support the UK’s vibrant media sector, including public service media, helping it to evolve to meet the changing needs of viewers and listeners;
• serving and protecting audiences: Ofcom will protect people from potentially harmful and offensive content, while taking full account of freedom of expression; Ofcom will continue to issue, manage and maintain licences for all national and local commercial TV, and radio services; and
• establishing regulation of online safety: Ofcom will establish its regulation of UK-established video-sharing platforms as it continues its preparations for the broader online safety regime; the regulator will deepen its organisational preparations for its new regulatory responsibilities as the Online Safety Bill proceeds through Parliament.

The plan of work also includes Ofcom’s work programme for the next year, which explains the key activities it will be undertaking over the next 12 months across all its work. To read Ofcom’s news release in full and for access to the plan of work, click here.