Ofcom call for improvements to broadband and mobile services
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Ofcom would like the UK to be a world leader in terms of our digital economy.
This requires improvement of the quality and coverage of broadband, landline and mobile services
There are still people in certain parts of the country, particularly rural locations, yet to receive superfast broadband or 4G. In these and other areas, quality of service is often still poor.
More competition for broadband and mobile services
Ofcom says Openreach (owned and run by BT) should open up its network of telegraph poles and underground tunnels. This would allow other companies to build fibre networks that connect to homes and offices, thus opening up the competition.
‘Openreach needs to change, taking its own decisions on budget, investment and strategy, in consultation with the wider industry. This would mean Openreach taking independent decisions on where to roll out broadband, how much money to spend on improving service quality and new high-speed broadband technology,’ says Sharon White CEO of Ofcom.
Compensation to customers experiencing problems with their broadband service
In order to improve quality of service across the telecoms industry, Ofcom intends to introduce tougher rules on faults, repairs and installation. They require full transparency and will expect customers to receive compensation when things go wrong. This could be in line with compensation doled out by energy companies. More details are to be revealed later this year.
Working with the Government to deliver fast and affordable broadband for every household and business in the UK, Ofcom also require improvements in mobile coverage.
‘These are big changes. I believe they will make a real difference to people and fundamentally improve the communications services that underpin how we live and work in the 21st century. You can find out more now, and we will bring forward detailed proposals for these improvements later this year.’
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