COVID-19: What Ofcom is doing to help

Ofcom is the UK’s communications regulator. It has taken a number of actions to help during the coronavirus pandemic, including:

• Working with Government and industry to ensure that networks remain resilient.
• Issuing guidance to consumers on how to avoid being taken in by coronavirus-related scam calls and text messages.
• Launching a national campaign to help broadband and mobile users get the most from their connections, which is backed by Government and industry.
  • Providing advice for consumers, e.g. how to get the best WiFi signal.
• Issuing a note to broadcasters, reminding them of their obligations and advising Ofcom’s stance on compliance issues during the pandemic.
• Publishing information on its website about the importance of the sector; what it is doing or will do with regard to regulating during the current situation. This includes:
  • Suspending all existing consultation deadlines and information requests and putting on hold new consultations, decisions and information requests, with immediate effect.
  • That they are discussing with Government the implementation deadlines of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC).
  • That they will expedite any standards enforcement cases involving potentially harmful broadcast content relating to the coronavirus. On 6 April, Ofcom announced that it had issued a sanction against a community radio station which it found to have breached broadcasting rules on coronavirus reporting.
• Acknowledging the steps taken by networks, broadcasters, the postal service and more, to ensure that the economy and people remain connected.
• Postponing the final two 700MHz clearance events which had been scheduled for April.
• Issuing guidance on the Automatic Compensation Scheme which governs broadband and landlines for customers of providers who have signed up to it. Usually customers are entitled to compensation if things go wrong, such as repairs not being completed within a set period of time. Under the current circumstances, Ofcom has stated that they consider the pandemic to provide legitimate cause as to why payments should not be made as long as operators communicate this to customers clearly.
• Speaking out to condemn the vandalism of 5G equipment on the mobile network, and releasing a video and information for consumers to educate and inform them that 5G technology is not linked to the coronavirus at all, and that 5G signals should not pose a risk to public health.

More information about what Ofcom is doing to help is available here.