Ofcom
Ofcom http://www.ofcom.org.uk/ is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. It regulates television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.
Ofcom's statutory duties are set by the Communications Act 2003. Its corporate structure consists of: the Ofcom Board; a Content Board; the Executive branch; a Consumer Panel; and advisory committees.
Ofcom has accountability to Parliament and structured relationships with the Government and other regulatory bodies. It complies with the Data Protection and Freedom of Information legislation.[1]
Ofcom regulates all UK airwaves for communication, to ensure the public receive the best service possible. This includes:
- TV
- Radio
- Telecommunications
Ofcom is accountable to Parliament and advises and sets some of the more technical aspects of regulation, implementing and enforcing the law. It is funded by fees from industry for regulating broadcasting and communications networks, and grant-in-aid from the Government.
What Ofcom does
Ofcom says its main legal duties are to ensure:
- the UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed services such as broadband;
- a wide range of high-quality television and radio programmes are provided, appealing to a range of tastes and interests;
- television and radio services are provided by a range of different organisations;
people who watch television and listen to the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material;
- people are protected from being treated unfairly in television and radio programmes, and from having their privacy invaded;
- the radio spectrum (the airwaves used by everyone from taxi firms and boat owners, to mobile-phone companies and broadcasters) is used in the most effective way.
What we do not do
Ofcom is not responsible for regulating:
- 'disputes between you and your telecoms provider'
- premium-rate services, including mobile-phone text services and ringtones
- the content of television and radio adverts
- complaints about accuracy in BBC programmes
- the BBC TV licence fee; or
- newspapers and magazines.[2]
Affiliations
Ofcom works with:
- Action with Communities in Rural England
- Age UK
- Antelope Consulting
- British Wireless for the Blind Fund
- Centre for Consumers and Essential Services
- Children’s Commissioner for England
- Citizens Advice
- Communications & Internet Services Adjudicators Scheme
- Communications Consumer Panel
- Community Network
- Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
- Consumer Focus
- DC10 plus
- Future Inclusion
- GK consulting
- Hearing Concern Link
- The Helplines Association
- International Longevity Centre
- Mediawatch
- Mind
- National Association of Deafened People
- National Consumer Federation
- Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman
- PhoneAbility
- PhonepayPlus
- Privacy International
- Public Utilities Access Forum
- Royal National Institute of Blind People
- Royal National Institute for Deaf People
- Scope
- Sense
- Telecommunications Action Group
- Trading Standards Institute
- Voice of the Listener and Viewer
- W4B The TV and Radio Charity
- Which?
Contact Information
Ofcom
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA
For advice or complaints please call on 0300 123 3333 or 020 7981 3040. open Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. [3]
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Notes
- ↑ Office of Communications, Accessed 4 November 2010
- ↑ What We Do, Accessed 6 November 2010
- ↑ Contact Information, Accessed 6 November 2010
