Difference between revisions of "Ofcom"
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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 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. | + | 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 | + | 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.<ref>Office of Communications (Ofcom), http://www.ofcom.org.uk/, last accessed 04 March 2008: 20:34/</ref> |
| − | Ofcom | + | Ofcom regulates all UK airwaves for communication, to ensure the public receive the best service possible. This includes: |
| + | *TV | ||
| + | *Radio | ||
| + | *Telecommunications | ||
| − | + | Ofcom operates under the Communications Act 2003. It is accountable to Parliament and advises and sets some of the more technical aspects of regulation, implementing and enforcing the law. Ofcom is funded by fees from industry for regulating broadcasting and communications networks, and grant-in-aid from the Government | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | Ofcom operates under the Communications Act 2003 | ||
| − | |||
| − | the more technical aspects of regulation, implementing and enforcing the law. | ||
| − | Ofcom is funded by fees from industry for regulating broadcasting and | ||
| − | |||
| − | What | + | ===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; | + | :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; | + | :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; | + | :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 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; | + | :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. | + | :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''' | '''What we do not do''' | ||
| − | + | Ofcom is not responsible for regulating: | |
| − | disputes between you and your telecoms provider | + | :'disputes between you and your telecoms provider' |
| − | premium-rate services, including mobile-phone text services and ringtones | + | :premium-rate services, including mobile-phone text services and ringtones |
| − | the content of television and radio adverts | + | :the content of television and radio adverts |
| − | complaints about accuracy in BBC programmes | + | :complaints about accuracy in BBC programmes |
| − | the BBC TV licence fee; or | + | :the BBC TV licence fee; or |
| − | newspapers and magazines | + | :newspapers and magazines |
| + | |||
| + | ==Affiliations== | ||
| + | Ofcom works with: | ||
| − | |||
*Action with Communities in Rural England | *Action with Communities in Rural England | ||
*Age UK | *Age UK | ||
| Line 47: | Line 43: | ||
*Communications Consumer Panel | *Communications Consumer Panel | ||
*Community Network | *Community Network | ||
| − | *Consumer Council for Northern Ireland | + | *[[Consumer Council for Northern Ireland]] |
| − | *Consumer Focus | + | *[[Consumer Focus]] |
| − | *DC10 plus | + | *[[DC10 plus]] |
| − | *Future Inclusion | + | *[[Future Inclusion]] |
| − | *GK consulting | + | *[[GK consulting]] |
| − | *Hearing Concern Link | + | *[[Hearing Concern Link]] |
| − | *The Helplines Association | + | *[[The Helplines Association]] |
| − | *International Longevity Centre | + | *[[International Longevity Centre]] |
| − | *Mediawatch | + | *[[Mediawatch]] |
| − | *Mind | + | *[[Mind]] |
| − | *National Association of Deafened People | + | *[[National Association of Deafened People]] |
| − | *National Consumer Federation | + | *[[National Consumer Federation]] |
| − | * | + | *[[Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman]] |
| − | + | *[[PhoneAbility]] | |
| − | *PhoneAbility | + | *[[PhonepayPlus]] |
| − | *PhonepayPlus | + | *[[Privacy International]] |
| − | *Privacy International | + | *[[Public Utilities Access Forum]] |
| − | *Public Utilities Access Forum | + | *[[Royal National Institute of Blind People]] |
| − | *Royal National Institute of Blind People | + | *[[Royal National Institute for Deaf People]] |
| − | *Royal National Institute for Deaf People | + | *[[Scope]] |
| − | *Scope | + | *[[Sense]] |
| − | *Sense | + | *[[Telecommunications Action Group]] |
| − | *Telecommunications Action Group | + | *[[Trading Standards Institute]] |
| − | *Trading Standards Institute | + | *[[Voice of the Listener and Viewer]] |
| − | *Voice of the Listener and Viewer | + | *[[W4B The TV and Radio Charity]] |
| − | *W4B The TV and Radio Charity | + | *[[Which?]] |
| − | *Which? | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
Revision as of 13:45, 1 November 2010
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 operates under the Communications Act 2003. It is accountable to Parliament and advises and sets some of the more technical aspects of regulation, implementing and enforcing the law. Ofcom 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
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?
Notes
- ↑ Office of Communications (Ofcom), http://www.ofcom.org.uk/, last accessed 04 March 2008: 20:34/
