Tag: OFCOM
File downloads take longer on O2 than other networks, Ofcom finds
File downloads take longer on O2 over 4G and 5G than on the other mobile networks, according to new Ofcom research published today. Ofcom’s latest ‘Mobile Matters’ research report puts people’s experiences of using mobile networks across the UK under the microscope, based on crowdsourced data collected between October 2023 and March 2024. Its analysis shows…
97% of UK homes could have gigabit broadband by 2027, Ofcom claims
More than 97% of UK homes could have access to gigabit-capable broadband by 2027, if communications providers deploy their networks as planned, according to new data published by Ofcom today. Since 2018, availability of full-fibre broadband in the UK has increased from 6% to more than 60%, and average speeds and data use have doubled. If providers’…
Canterbury fails: Kent city is UK’s worst for broadband again
Canterbury has won the wooden spoon for the UK’s slowest city for broadband for the second consecutive year in Broadband Genie’s Slickest Cities index Lichfield has the crown of UK’s slickest city, with a weighted broadband speed of 359Mb London is placed a mediocre 38th, with residents receiving broadband speeds of 57Mb Canterbury has been…
TalkTalk confirms end of mid-contract price rises
TalkTalk has confirmed that it will be introducing a major pricing shake-up later this month. The telecoms provider has confirmed that it will be making changes to its mid-contract price rises in line with Ofcom's new rules. From the middle of August, TalkTalk will be moving away from inflation-based mid-contract price rises and instead will…
Less than half of 16-24 year olds watch live broadcast TV, Ofcom finds
Stark generational divide as 16-24s watch just 20 mins of live TV daily Family TV becoming device of choice to watch YouTube at home Radio listening hits 20-year high as commercial stations thrive For the first time, less than half of 16-24-year-olds are now watching broadcast TV in an average week, according to Ofcom’s annual study…
Ofcom to clamp down on scam calls from abroad
Phone companies to block more calls from abroad that imitate UK landline numbers under strengthened Ofcom guidance Many people still receive suspicious calls and texts, despite a recent decline Regulator calls for evidence on innovative solutions to disrupt UK mobile number spoofing People will be better protected against scammers who call from abroad and imitate…
Ofcom fines TikTok £1.875m for providing inaccurate data about parental controls
TikTok failed to provide Ofcom with accurate information about its parental controls Delays in reporting the issue disrupted publication of Ofcom’s child safety transparency report Ofcom has today fined TikTok £1.875 million for failing to accurately respond to a formal request for information about its parental controls safety feature. Firms are required, by law, to respond to…
Ofcom fines BT £17.5m for 999 call-handling failures
Network disruption affected 14,000 emergency calls in June 2023 and lasted 10.5 hours Law requires networks to take appropriate steps to prepare for potential outages Ofcom finds that BT was not properly prepared to handle the incident Ofcom has today fined BT £17.5 million for being ill-prepared to respond to a catastrophic failure of its emergency…
Ofcom bans ‘surprise’ mid-contract price rises linked to inflation
Telecoms customers must be told upfront in about any price rises their provider includes in their contract, under new consumer protection rules announced today by Ofcom. In recent years, many major UK phone, broadband and pay TV companies have changed their contract terms to include price rises that are linked to future inflation rates. This…
Social media sites face tougher age checks under new Ofcom rules
Ofcom has warned social media sites they could be banned for under-18s completely if they fail to comply with new online safety rules. The media regulator has published a children's safety draft code of practice, which requires social media firms to have more robust age-checking measures in place. Ofcom boss Dame Melanie Dawes warned any…
