Subject

Ofcom: a short guide to what we do

This text is also available as a British Sign Language presentation at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/accessibility/bsl/

About Ofcom

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK’s communications industries – television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.

Ofcom’s statutory duties

Ofcom is an independent regulator, accountable to the UK Parliament. Our main statutory duties, set down in the UK Communications Act 2003, are:

• to ensure the most effective use of the radio spectrum for wireless communications services;
• to ensure that the UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed data services;
• to ensure a wide range of high quality television and radio programmes, appealing to a variety of tastes and interests;
• to ensure television and radio services are provided by a range of different organisations;
• to ensure television and radio audiences are adequately protected from harmful or offensive material; and
• to ensure that people are protected from unfair treatment in television and radio programmes and from infringements of privacy.

Broadcasting

Ofcom is responsible for licensing UK television and radio services on analogue and digital terrestrial, cable and satellite.

The Ofcom Broadcasting Code sets down rules which television and radio broadcasters must follow. The Code sets standards to protect the under-18s whilst allowing broadcasters an appropriate degree of creative freedom.

We are required to maintain and strengthen the UK’s tradition of high quality public service broadcasting. We also oversee quotas intended to ensure a broad range of television programmes from independent producers and from the Nations and Regions of the UK.

Telecommunications

Landline telecoms, mobile telecoms and broadband are becoming increasingly competitive, with new products and lower prices for businesses and consumers.

Ofcom seeks to ensure that companies are able to compete fairly and that businesses and consumers benefit from the choice of a broad range of services. We take action to protect consumers from unfair practices; we also make sure that everyone in the UK has access to a basic telecoms service, including people on low incomes and people who live in remote areas.

Wireless Communications

Radio spectrum - the airwaves used by everyone from taxi firms, marine to mobile phone companies and broadcasters - is a vital national resource.

Ofcom is responsible for managing all civilian use of radio spectrum. We issue Wireless Telegraphy Act licences to more than 250,000 people and organisations.

We also monitor the airwaves 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and take immediate action to protect safety-of-life services which depend on wireless communications. We investigate interference and take enforcement action against people who transmit illegally.

Competition and investigations

As the competition authority for the UK communications industries, Ofcom investigates complaints about anti-competitive behaviour and adjudicates on disputes between companies.

Corporate structure

The Ofcom Board provides strategic direction for the organisation. It has a Non-Executive Chairman, five other Non-Executive Directors and four Executive Directors, including the Chief Executive.

The Content Board is a committee of the main Board; it is Ofcom's primary forum for the regulation of television and radio quality and standards.

The Ofcom Executive is the senior management team responsible for running Ofcom. The management of the organisation is overseen by the Executive Committee. The Policy Executive is responsible for the development of Ofcom’s overall policy agenda.

Expert advice

A number of committees and advisory bodies exist to support Ofcom and offer advice. These include:

• The Advisory Committees for the Nations: The Committees for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales provide advice on matters of particular importance in each of their Nations.
• The Consumer Panel: independent of Ofcom, the Consumer Panel provides advice on matters affecting consumers in the markets regulated by Ofcom.
• The Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People: provides advice on broadcasting, telecommunications and radio spectrum issues to ensure that Ofcom’s policies and practices take into consideration views expressed by older and disabled citizens and consumers.
• The Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board: provides advice on strategic spectrum management issues in the interests of all users and providers of wireless communications services.

Ofcom has colleagues in three National offices in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales who work to ensure that issues relevant to each Nation are reflected in Ofcom’s work.

What we do not do

Ofcom is not responsible for regulating:

• internet content, emails and mobile phone multimedia content;
• premium rate services, including mobile phone text services and ringtones;
• the content of television and radio advertisements;
• complaints about accuracy or impartiality in BBC programmes;
• the BBC TV Licence Fee;
• newspapers; or
• magazines

Please see below for details of who you should contact instead.

• Internet content and emails. Please contact your internet service provider.
• Mobile phone multimedia content. Please contact your mobile phone company.
• Premium rate services, including mobile phone text message services and ringtones. Please contact the premium rate services regulator PhonepayPlus.

Online : www.phonepayplus.org.uk
By post: PhonepayPlus, Clove Building, 4 Maguire Street,
London SE1 2NQ.
By phone: 0800 500 212

• Television and radio advertisements. Please contact the Advertising Standards Authority.

Online: www.asa.org.uk
By post: ASA, Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn,
London WC1V 6QT
By phone: 020 7492 2222

• Complaints about accuracy or impartiality in BBC television or radio programmes or about the BBC TV Licence Fee:

Online : www.bbc.co.uk/info/contactus
By post: Head of Programme Complaints, BBC Broadcasting House, London W1A 1AA.

• Complaints about articles in newspapers or magazines. Please contact the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).

Online : www.pcc.org.uk
By post: Press Complaints Commission, Halton House, 20/23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD
By phone: 020 7831 0022
Email: complaints@pcc.org.uk

For further information

Please visit our website at www.ofcom.org.uk

By phone:

tel: 020 7981 3040

Please note that calls to the Advisory Team may be monitored or recorded.

or Textphone 020 7981 3043

By post:

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

For general enquires about the work of Ofcom in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales please use the appropriate email address below:

Englandandindustry@ofcom.org.uk
Northernireland@ofcom.org.uk
Scotland@ofcom.org.uk
Wales@ofcom.org.uk