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.

Ofcom's corporate structure consists of: the Ofcom Board; a Content Board; the Executive branch; a Consumer Panel; and advisory committees.

Ofcom's 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.

fcom regulates all UK airwaves for communication, to ensure the public recieve

the best service possible.This includes:

TV Radio Telecommunications Ofcom operates under the Communications Act 2003 which tells them exactly what the company can do to help, no more, no less. Ofcom is accountable to Parliament and are control in advising and setting 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 we do Our 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; and 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 We are 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

Who they work 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
• Ofcom
• 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

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