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Ofcom accreditation scheme for price comparison calculators - guidelines on how to apply

Scope of accreditation scheme

Ofcom will consider accrediting price comparison calculators for all communications services that fall within our remit. This includes, but is not limited to the following communications services:

• Fixed telephone
• Mobile telephone
• International roaming
• Narrowband internet
• Broadband
• Voice over IP
• Digital TV
• Bundled services

Application process for accreditation

There are five steps in the application process for accreditation.

Step 1

Applicants should contact Ofcom at price.accreditation@ofcom.org.uk. Applicants will be asked to submit a short description of the price comparison calculator they provide, which should include the following information:

• When the service was launched
• The communication service(s) for which price comparison information is provided
• How prices are calculated
• How consumers can access the information e.g. via a website or a customer helpline
• How many consumers have used the calculator to compare services and/or switch
• How the business model works (including whether the organisation receives commission payments from communications providers, whether the organisation is run or owned by a communications provider and whether consumers are charged to access the service)

Applicants may be asked to submit further information by Ofcom.

Step 2

If Ofcom is satisfied that the service has the potential to meet the approval criteria, it will then invite the applicant to meet with Ofcom to give a demonstration of its service and answer any questions.

Step 3

If Ofcom remains satisfied that the service has the potential to meet the approval criteria, it will ask an independent analyst to undertake a technical audit of the applicant’s price comparison calculator and its processes for ensuring price and tariff information is kept up to date.

Applicants will be asked to contribute to the cost of this independent audit. Charges will be determined on the following basis:

Applicants who receive commission payments from the communications providers they feature; charge consumers to access their services; and are a communications provider themselves	£6000 (Indicative figure)
Applicants who do not receive commission payments from the communications providers they feature; do not charge consumers to access their services; and are not a communications provider themselves	£1000 (Indicative figure)

Step 4

Successful applicants will then enter into a contract with Ofcom. Ofcom will issue successful applicants with a certificate of accreditation. Where an organisation’s calculator is accredited, the organisation can display the Ofcom logo alongside the following statement:

We will provide a link to our website which will include an explanation of the accreditation scheme and a list of accredited organisations.

Step 5

Accreditation will be renewed, subject to an independent audit, on an annual basis. Applicants will be asked to contribute to the cost of the annual independent audit. Charges will be determined on the following basis:

Applicants who receive commission payments from the communications providers they feature; charge consumers to access their services; and are a communications provider themselves	£3000 (Indicative figure)
Applicants who do not receive commission payments from the communications providers they feature; do not charge consumers to access their services; and are not a communications provider themselves	£500 (Indicative figure)

Approval criteria

Accredited price comparison calculators must be accessible, accurate, transparent and comprehensive:

Accessible

• 1. Services must be accessible by all consumers including disabled users.
• 2. Web-based services should offer consumers the option of getting advice offline

Accurate

• 3. Data used to calculate price comparisons should be updated at least every eight weeks. Web based calculators should indicate when they were last updated.
• 4. Data on prices and tariffs should reflect the availability of special offers and any upfront costs, for example installation and equipment.

Transparent

• 5. The price comparison calculator must enable consumers to sort the results of any price calculation by price.
• 6. The price comparison organisation must make it clear to consumers how it makes money or funds its activity.

Comprehensive

• 7. Price comparison information must be full and comprehensive. Data should include a comprehensive number of providers to reflect the level of choice available to consumers in the relevant market, including key players.
• 8. Price comparison calculators should take into account the consumers’ location when presenting information on what services are available.
• 9. Consumers should be advised to consider factors other than price and encouraged to visit the industry websites providing quality of service information www.topcomm.org.uk and www.topnetuk.org.

In addition to the approval criteria set out above, Ofcom requires accredited organisations to comply with existing relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act and Disability Discrimination Act and any other applicable legislation.

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