Work begins on codes of practice

Oftel and the telecoms industry have begun work to establish codes of practice for telecoms companies providing services to consumers and small businesses.

The codes of practice will help to ensure consumers have a clear understanding of their rights and obligations, and what they can expect from their telecoms company.

The codes of practice will cover a range of issues such as sales and marketing, installations, customer services, billing, disconnection and debt policies and services for disabled and elderly users of telecoms services.

Each company will write its own code of practice but will follow a framework developed by an industry working group and approved by Oftel.

The codes of practice will have to meet criteria set by Oftel. For example, the codes must be written in plain English and meet best practice guidelines for ensuring they can be read by people with visual impairments. Companies must also make sure that the codes are widely available.

This work is in response to the government's call in the Communications White Paper and further plans in the draft Communications Bill for the industry to establish codes of practice on a voluntary basis before the introduction of legislation.

Oftel expecxts the codes of practice to be available in the first half of 2003.

For further information contact Chris Rowsell (tel: 020 7634 8990 / e-mail: chris.rowsell@oftel.gov.uk).