In the last issue of Oftel News I predicted that 2003 would be a busy time for Oftel. The reality of the past three months, testifies to the excitement and progress in the field of communications regulation.

2003 opened with the very significant decision by the Competition Commission that the four mobile network operators should be required to reduce the charges for making calls to their networks. The Competition Commission's exhaustive year-long investigation supported Oftel's own findings that consumers, who of course have no choice over which network they are calling, are paying too much to make calls to mobile phones. The Commission's decisions confirmed that Oftel's own analysis and conclusions were both robust and well-founded.

Business consumers will also benefit from action taken at the end of last year to establish a new pricing and quality of service regime for BT's wholesale business broadband services. With wholesale prices to be reduced by 50 per cent for connection and 20 per cent for rental, businesses should benefit considerably as operators will be able to pass on savings brought about by these more competitive prices.

Further good news for consumers is the launch of the new Telecoms Ombudsman. The Communications Bill requires operators to have a recognised dispute resolution scheme in place. The launch of Ombudsman on 2 January - with eight companies on board - is therefore a significant achievement, and I hope to see the scheme expand in the coming months. The Ombudsman will provide an important additional level of complaint resolution for consumers, providing a real alternative to the prospect of seeking costly legal advice or going to court.

As David Currie's Outside Oftel highlights, it is important that Ofcom draws on exisiting regulatory successes whilst establishing the new and vibrant organisation. As a member of the Ofcom Board, I am already seeing new challenges, but realising too how much the thinking and experience of Oftel will carry forward.

The launch of the Ombudsman isa good example of this. It is an endorsement for the process of co-regulation which, as David Currie's article sets out, will be an important focus of regulation in the future.

David Edmonds