Investigation into BT’s provision of contract information and a contract summary

Ofcom is today opening an investigation into the compliance of BT with its obligation to provide customers with contract information and a contract summary before they enter a binding contract. The investigation will consider if BT has contravened General Conditions C1.3 to C1.7 and C5.16 as a result of suspected breaches by each of its subsidiaries EE and Plusnet.

Since 17 June 2022, relevant communication providers have been required to give consumers, micro and small enterprise and not-for-profit customers a summary of the main terms of their contract, and contract information meeting requirements in the Annex to General Condition C1, before they enter into a binding contract for public electronic communications services.

Providers must also, upon request, make available free of charge to any customer who requires it because of their disabilities, any contract information or contract summary, in a reasonably acceptable format. For example, they may provide the same information in large print or Braille.

These rules are intended to enable all customers to make informed choices about the services they are being offered.

On 4 October 2022, Ofcom opened an investigation into EE’s compliance with General Conditions C1.3 to C1.7 and C5.16 under case reference CW/01262/08/22. Ofcom subsequently received information which gives it reason to suspect that Plusnet may also have failed to comply with these requirements. This investigation will therefore consider if BT has contravened General Conditions C1.3 to C1.7 and C5.16 as a result of suspected breaches by each of its subsidiaries, EE and Plusnet. We will gather further information and update this page as our investigation progresses.

The investigation into EE under case reference CW/01262/08/22 will now close, and any information gathered to date will be taken forward within the remit of the above investigation into BT, reference CW/01265/11/22.