Home > Media and Analysts > News Release Archive > 2006 > Dec > 12|12|06

12|12|06

Ofcom Publishes Draft Annual Plan 2007/8

Ofcom today published its draft Annual Plan 2007/8 for consultation. The draft Plan sets out Ofcom’s policy framework for the next three years; under each policy the draft Plan lists specific priorities for 2007/8.

The draft Plan is subject to 10 weeks’ public consultation and Ofcom will publish its final Statement in early April.

Ofcom will continue to examine the scope for removing regulation and reducing administrative burdens on its stakeholders in the coming three years. Ofcom today also published its Simplification Plan, which sets out in detail its planned deregulatory activities.

Policy framework for the next three years

Ofcom’s policy work for 2007/8, 2008/9 and 2009/10 will be focused on five areas:

• accelerating the development of a market-based approach to spectrum;
• promoting competition and innovation in converging markets;
• enabling services that are important to UK citizens as platforms and services converge;
• improving industry compliance and empowering consumers; and
• moving towards more consistent legal and economic frameworks.

Priorities for 2007/8

Under each of the five key areas for the next three years, Ofcom proposes the following priorities for 2007/8:

1. Accelerating the development of a market-based approach to spectrum: continue to develop a secondary market in spectrum trading; release more spectrum to allow new services to develop; and represent the UK on international bodies to further Ofcom’s aim of securing the optimal use of spectrum.
2. Promoting competition and innovation in converging markets: promote competition in fixed-line telecoms, broadband, television and radio markets; secure competition and investment in next generation networks; assess how wireless platforms will contribute to convergence; and identify potential new sources of market power that might emerge through convergence.
3. Enabling services that are important to UK citizens as platforms and services converge: review how Ofcom protects viewers and listeners through content regulation; promote access and inclusion in the availability and use of communications services; and maintain diverse and high-quality content in public service broadcasting.
4. Improving industry compliance and empowering consumers: make enforcement more targeted and effective; ensure that consumers can switch providers quickly and easily; and help people acquire the skills, knowledge and understanding to use communications services effectively.
5. Moving towards more consistent legal and economic frameworks: Ofcom will begin preparatory work to examine where it is desirable to move towards greater consistency between legal and economic frameworks which govern different communications platforms.

A copy of the draft Annual Plan 2007/8 and Simplification Plan can be downloaded at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/annual_plan2007/

As part of the consultation Ofcom is holding a series of public events in the Nations and Regions; for details go to: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/annual_plan2007/annual_plan200708/invite

The consultation closes 20 February 2007.

Ends.

Back to top