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This consultation

2.1 This document is the Phase 1 consultation document in Ofcom's Strategic Review of Telecoms. It seeks views on the future prospects for the UK telecoms sector. In preparing this document, Ofcom has taken into account inputs from telecoms operators and service providers, financial institutions and consumer organisations.

2.2 This consultation document is addressed to all organisations and individuals who have an interest in the telecoms industry in the UK. This includes, among others:

• businesses participating in the telecoms sector, including infrastructure-based operators and service providers, and manufacturers of telecoms equipment;
• others with a commercial or employment interest in the sector, such as trades unions;
• consumers of telecoms services, either as businesses
  or as individuals, and organisations representing consumers;
• individuals or organisations concerned with the impact of telecoms on particular groups of citizens, or on the economy as a whole; and
• Government departments.

2.3 A plain English summary of this document has been produced. The summary version has received a Crystal Mark for clarity from the Plain English Campaign - see Related Items. Hard copies are available upon request.

2.4 Electronic copies of this document and the research annexes are available on Ofcom's website - see Related Items.

How to respond

2.5 Ofcom invites written views and comments on the questions raised in this document, to be made by 5pm on Tuesday 22 June 2004.

2.6 Ofcom strongly prefers to receive responses as email attachments, in MS Word format, as this helps us to process the responses quickly and efficiently. Please attach with your response the cover sheet shown in Annex C. The cover sheet is available to download separately from the 'consultations' section of Ofcom's website. Please send your response to: dougal.scott@ofcom.org.uk, marked 'Strategic Review of Telecoms – consultation response'.

2.7 Responses may alternatively be posted or faxed to the address below.

Dougal Scott
Ofcom
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 9HA
Fax: 020 7981 3333

2.8 Please note that we do not need a hard copy in addition to an electronic version. We do not routinely acknowledge receipt of responses.

2.9 It would be helpful if your response could include direct answers to the questions asked in this document. These questions are listed together in Annex B. Ofcom would also be interested to receive comments on any other aspects of issues raised in this document, or on any issue that you think we should bear in mind in Phase 2 of the Telecoms Review. It would be helpful if you outline why you hold your views, and how Ofcom's proposals would affect you.

Further information

2.10 If you have any questions about the issues raised in this consultation, or need advice on the appropriate form of response, please contact Dougal Scott on 020 7783 4305. This consultation is the responsibility of Alex Blowers, Director of Policy Development at Ofcom, who is project director of the Telecoms Review.

Confidentiality

2.11 Ofcom believes it is important for everyone interested in an issue to see the views expressed by other consultation respondents. We would therefore usually publish all responses on our website (www.ofcom.org.uk) as soon as practicable after the consultation period has ended.

2.12 All comments will be treated as non-confidential unless you identify that part or all of your response is confidential and should not be disclosed. Ideally, anything you prefer to be confidential should be placed in a separate annex, so that non-confidential parts may be published along with your identity.

2.13 The consultation response cover sheet (in Annex C) includes a number of options for the confidentiality of your response, and we would be grateful if you would complete it.

2.14 Please also note that copyright in responses will be regarded as relinquished unless specifically retained.

Next steps

2.15 The responses to this consultation will be used to inform the next stage of the Strategic Review. The scope of this phase is discussed in more detail in Section 6, and the Terms of Reference of the Strategic Review of Telecommunications are included as Annex D.

2.16 As part of the consultation on this document, Ofcom will be holding a number of roadshows, seminars and other meetings with industry, the general public and other stakeholders.

2.17 Please note that you can register to receive automatic notifications of when Ofcom documents are published, at www.ofcom.org.uk/static/subscribe/ select_list.htm

Ofcom's consultation processes

2.18 Ofcom is keen to make responding to consultations easy, and we have published some consultation principles (included in Annex A) that we intend to follow.

2.19 Please call our consultation helpdesk on 020 7981 3003 if you have any comments or suggestions on how Ofcom conducts its consultations. We would particularly welcome thoughts on how Ofcom could be more effective in seeking the views of people who are less likely to respond to a formal consultation exercise such as residential customers and those with small businesses.

2.20 Alternatively, you can contact Philip Rutnam with any comments or concerns about Ofcom's consultation processes. He is Partner, Competition and Strategic Resources, and Ofcom's Consultation Champion.

Philip Rutnam
Partner, Competition and Strategic Resources

Ofcom
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 9HA

Email: philip.rutnam@ofcom.org.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7981 3585

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