Source: The UK’s communications regulator is called Ofcom and it was established in 2003. It develops from a previous regulator called Oftel, which was founded in 1984. This article examines the history of how this telecoms regulator came about, what it does, how it works and how you can contact them if you have any questions about your internet or telecommunication services.
What is Ofcom?
Source: Ofcom is the UK’s communications regulator. It oversees how telecoms companies and broadcasters are run. Ofcom was established in 2003, after a previous regulator called Oftel (the Office of Communications) merged with another organization called OFCOM (the Office of Communications Market) that had been formed in 2000. It operates under the authority of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (which was itself part of Theresa May’s cabinet). It’s funded by the government and charges companies for its services; it has a board of directors who are appointed by the government. The Office of Telecommunications was created as a response to concerns about how telecommunication companies were treating their customers.
The company’s first CEO was Sir Nicholas Ridley CBE (who later became Secretary of State for Transport). The organisation’s first director-general, Sir David Hurst-Brown, was appointed by the secretary of state for trade and industry and reported directly to him.
Privatization of UK Telecom Sector
Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/jCHWT477xB4
The UK telecoms industry was then privatised in the mid-80s, which led to a number of private companies entering the market. This created competition and innovation, but also meant that some companies were charging customers too much for calls. When the telecoms industry was privatised in 1984, it led to lots of competition and innovation in the market. The government wanted to make sure that consumers were getting a good deal from their telecoms companies, so they created Oftel (now Ofcom) as an independent regulator for all telecommunications services in Great Britain.
The European Union had already established similar regulations for its members when it came into force; this meant that if you bought a mobile phone or broadband connection from an EU country before 2002, your service could be regulated by either Ofcom or another member state’s equivalent body.
Role of Oftel
The first thing it did was create a code of practice for how companies should treat customers, and this is still used today. Oftel was formed after public concerns about telecommunication companies were raised with Parliament following reports that several firms had been engaging in illegal practices such as price fixing and bundling services together without customers’ consent. Oftel investigated claims that telecommunication companies were mistreating their customers.
Oftel has been in operation ever since with its main purpose being to ensure that consumers get fair treatment from all industries within Britain, including media and technology. Oftel was responsible for regulating the telecoms industry, which has been dominated by BT since its creation. The company was made up of around 100 people who worked at the regulator’s offices in London’s Convent Garden area until it moved into new premises on Gresham Street in 2003, less than 300 metres away from its current home at 1 Queen Anne’s Gate in London’s Mayfair district.
The outcome was that Ofcom was created as an independent regulator with powers to oversee broadcasting, telecommunications and postal services (BTPS). It also took over responsibility for regulating competition policy from OFTEL and OFTEL’s Competition Act became part of UK law under the Enterprise Act 2002.
Conclusion
So what is Ofcom? It’s an organization that was created in 2003 as a response to concerns about how telecommunication companies were treating their customers. It oversees how telecoms companies and broadcasters are run, develops policies on these issues, and sets standards for the industry as a whole. Ofcom was founded by an act of parliament in 2003, but it began operations much earlier than that because the government needed time to implement its new regulatory body before it could take power over other bodies or change any laws related.
Muhammad Asfandyar is a lawyer having extensive experience in creative content writing, proofreading, legal and academic research writing. He can be reached at asfandyar.edw@gmail.com