What is Oftel
Who runs Oftel
What are Oftel's functions
Who should I contact at Oftel?

What is Oftel?
The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) is the regulator for the UK telecommunications industry.

Oftel was set up under the Telecommunications Act 1984.

Our goal is to make sure you receive the best quality, choice and value for money for all your telephone services.

Who runs Oftel?
Oftel's head is the Director General of Telecommunications. The current Director General is David Edmonds.

We have three directorates - Regulatory Policy, Compliance and Business Support.

Regulatory Policy Directorate is responsible for developing policies on telecommunications.

Compliance Directorate makes sure phone companies meet their obligations under telecoms and competition laws and regulations.

Business Support Directorate supports the entire organisation.

Please click here to view our Organisational Chart

You will find further information about Oftel's work in our Management Plan

What are Oftel's functions?
Under the Telecommunications Act 1984, the Director General has a number of duties, which include the following.

• Promoting the interests of consumers.
  
• Maintaining and promoting effective competition.
  
• Making sure that telecommunications services are provided in the UK to meet all reasonable demands, including:
  
  
  • emergency services;
    
  • public call boxes;
    
  • directory information; and
    
  • services in rural areas.

Who should I contact at Oftel?
We have two main points of contact - the Research and Information Unit (RIU) and the Consumer Representation Section (CRS).

RIU is the contact point for selling copies of licences and priced publications, distributing free publications, public register enquiries and general enquiries.

The publications RIU hold include consultation documents, statements and our annual report.

The public register includes all telecommunications licences, any amendments to licences issued under the Telecommunications Act 1984 and a complete public record of all consultation responses we have received.

Although we hold all licence records, the Department of Trade and Industry actually issues all the telecoms licences that phone companies need to be able to offer services in the UK.

CRS considers any complaint or enquiry - whether by phone, letter, fax or e-mail - relating to telecommunications services supplied in the UK. However, we will only be able to help you if you have already tried to sort the issue out with your phone company.

We aim to help both sides to reach a solution to their problems. However, we can't always impose a solution.

For more information on how to make a complaint please click here

David Edmonds
Director General of Oftel

Peter Waller
Director of Operations

Director of Regulatory Policy
Phillip Rutnam

Chris Kenny
Director of Compliance

David Smith
Director of Business Support