Ofcom’s approach to COVID-19 and the Communications Industry

Ofcom, the UK’s communications industries regulator, has released information highlighting the vital importance of the industry’s crucial role in keeping the nation connected during the crisis and setting out its approach to regulation through this period.

Many workers involved in the communications sectors have been designated as key workers by the Government – information technology and data infrastructure sector as well as key staff working in telecommunications (including but not limited to network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services). Ofcom states that the industry’s main focus is to keep vital networks resilient, and that it is working closely with the Government and telecoms providers to ensure that networks remain resilient and continue to operate effectively (particularly in light of the increased volume of network traffic as large numbers of people work from home and schools have closed).

Ofcom and the UK’s major telco providers (including BT/EE, Openreach, Sky, O2, Vodafone) have agreed the following set of important commitments to help support and protect vulnerable consumers during the crisis:

• Commitment to work with customers who find it difficult to pay their
  bill as a result of Covid-19 to ensure that they are treated fairly
  and appropriately supported;

• Removal of all data allowance caps on all current fixed broadband
  services;

• Offering new, generous mobile and landline packages to ensure people
  are connected and the most vulnerable continue to be supported e.g.
  data boosts at low prices and free calls from landline/mobile; and

• Ensure that vulnerable/self-isolating customers receive alternative
  methods of communication in the event that repairs cannot be made to
  fixed broadband

These commitments are in addition to a range of supportive measures already being offered by the individual providers to their customers affected by circumstances arising from the pandemic.

Ofcom has also indicated that its proposed plan of work for 2020/21 will have to be adapted in light of the crisis, and that it will continue to monitor the situation overtime and stay in close contact with the industry and the Government. In the meantime however it has confirmed that:

• Implementation deadlines of the European Electronic Communications
  Code may have to be delayed (in discussions with the Government);
  and

• All existing consultation deadlines and information requests are
  suspended and new consultations/decisions have been put on hold.

Next Steps:

Close dialogue should be maintained with Ofcom throughout this difficult time and, where applicable, we would suggest making sure the Ofcom Telco commitments are being followed within your relevant businesses and also re-assessing any consultation responses and Electronic Communications Code preparations in light of the revised timeframes.