Ofcom’s long-term vision is for pro-growth regulation, enabled by competition, innovation and investment and our duty to have regard to economic growth in the UK.
We aim to avoid unnecessary burdens on industry by identifying opportunities to deregulate where possible, and by streamlining our approach so businesses face fewer costs and receive a more efficient service.
Over the year we have delivered on commitments we made through our economic regulation in the telecoms sectors, in how we manage spectrum and by streamlining and reducing burdens on industry.
Our 2025/26 Annual Report and Accounts outlines the impact of our work over the past year, and how our work continues to ensure that communications work for everyone in the UK.
Highlights for 2025/26
Enabling better broadband
Our new, long-term framework of regulation for the broadband sector will continue to promote competition, innovation and investment in this vital market.
Coverage help for consumers
We launched Map Your Mobile, a comprehensive tool revealing local 4G/5G mobile coverage and performance in UK postcodes.
Reforming the postal service
Our changes to Royal Mail’s obligations will enable it to make necessary improvements to reliability and performance. Meanwhile, we also held it to account, fining it £21 million for failing to meet delivery targets in 2024/25.
Implementing the Media Act
We completed our work to update regulations under the Media Act 2024. We modernised how we regulate public service broadcasters, and set out how their content should remain findable on smart TVs and smart speakers.
Helping public service broadcasting to survive and thrive
Following our review of public service media we set out a detailed plan for protecting and sustaining it in the coming years.
Serving and protecting audiences
This year, we closed 65,968 complaints (8,544 cases), completed 25 investigations and found 14 cases in breach of our broadcasting rules. Where broadcasters failed to maintain standards, we took clear action to enforce our rules.
Protecting children from porn
We required pornography services to stop children accessing this content, using highly effective age checks. Millions of daily visits to porn sites now require these checks.
A year of taking action
We investigated nearly 100 online services for failing to comply with the laws, and took action against many of them. That included fines against six services which failed to implement effective age checks.
Tackling the most harmful content
We finalised our regulations under the Online Safety Act 2023. As part of this, we established codes of practice and guidance aimed at stopping children from encountering the most harmful types of content.
Innovations in spectrum
We auctioned airwaves to allow mobile operators to provide faster, better services. These ‘mmWave’ frequencies are now available in 68 high-density areas with high demand for mobile data.
From satellites to smartphones
Standard smartphones will soon be able to receive signals from space, following our decisions to allow mobile networks and satellite companies to partner and deliver ‘direct-to-device’ services to UK phone users.
Sharing spectrum to boost connections
Our plans will make the UK the first country in Europe to share airwaves across mobile and Wi-Fi
services. This will lead to better wireless broadband, stronger signals in busy locations and support for new technologies.