Regulated prices
Ofcom regulates prices, or imposes charge controls, across a number of different segments covering the telecoms, broadcasting and postal services markets. A high-level summary of a selection of these regulated prices and charge controls can be found below.
Please refer to the relevant regulatory instrument for the full detail relating to a specific regulated price or charge control.
While we try to keep the information on this page up to date, we cannot guarantee that it will be. Please refer to the relevant regulatory instrument if you are looking to rely on the figures.
Here are the charge controls that apply to MPF rental, FTTC 40/10 rental, and FTTP 40/10 rental as a result of the 2021 WFTMR Statement.
The charge control for the next financial year will be determined with reference to CPI.
| Basket/service | Charge control for 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023 | Charge control for 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024 | Charge control for 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPF rental | £89.59 | £99.53 | £104.11 |
| FTTC 40/10 rental | £62.94 | £69.93 | £73.15 |
| FTTP 40/10 rental (where a copper based 40/10 service is not available) | The MPF price + FTTC 40/10 price plus a premium of £21.26 | £193.08, including a premium of £23.62 | £201.97, including a premium of £24.71 |
See the 2021 WFTMR statement (including the subsequent modification) for more details on the charge controls we have imposed.
| From 1 April 2020 | From 1 June 2021 | From 1 April 2022 | From 1 April 2023 | From 1 April 2024 | From 1 April 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTR | 0.468 | 0.379 | 0.391 | 0.440 | 0.468 | |
| Forecast cap | CPI+1.5% |
Source: 2021 MCT model, Ofcom
The MTR cap applies to all mobile communication providers as listed in the Wholesale Voice Markets Review 2021-26.
| From 1 April 2020 | From 1 June 2021 | From 1 April 2022 | From 1 April 2023 | From 1 April 2024 | From 1 April 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTR | 0.0292 | 0.0294 | 0.0310 | 0.0343 | 0.0356 | |
| Forecast cap | CPI+0% |
The FTR cap applies to all fixed communication providers as listed in the Wholesale Voice Markets Review 2021-26.
This is set out in more detail under condition 3A, Annex 5 of the Wholesale Voice Markets Review 2021-26. Ofcom will endeavour to publish this table with the relevant charge control for each period once the necessary CPI data is available to us.
From 2012 to March 2024, Ofcom imposed caps on Second Class USO letters and small parcels. This was to ensure that postal services are affordable for consumers. We reviewed these caps in 2022-23 and introduced a new cap structure to apply from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027.
- We removed the safeguard cap on small parcels. Competition in this market effectively constrains Royal Mail's ability to raise prices for online and in-person purchases, thereby ensuring they remain affordable.
- We retained a safeguard cap on second class standard and large letters. Royal Mail continues to be a near-monopolist in the provision of letters and we cannot rely on competition to keep prices affordable without a cap. To give Royal Mail slightly more commercial flexibility, we created a basket cap for these products that can rise with inflation (CPI) – but no higher.
| Safeguard cap | April 2024 | April 2025 – March 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Basket cap (standard and large letters) | 2023-24 weighted average price + CPI | + CPI |