Helping consumers get better deals: A review of the impact of end-of-contract notifications and pricing commitments by broadband and mobile providers
- Start: 14 December 2018
- Status: Closed
- End: 01 February 2019
We want customers to be able to take advantage of the wide choice of services available and shop around with confidence, so that they can get the best deals for their needs. To help achieve this, we introduced new rules, which came into effect in 2020, requiring providers to send important information to their customers – both when their contracts are coming to an end and on a regular basis after that. We also secured commitments from major providers to protect customers from certain types of pricing practices. This report examines the impact of these measures so far.
Update 6 May 2022 – ex-post evaluation of end-of-contract notifications (ECN)
We have today published an ex-post evaluation of the impact of the introduction of ECNs on re-contracting and pricing for broadband services. The assessment in this report focuses of the impacts of ECNs on fixed broadband customer outcomes. We use econometric techniques to assess the direct effects of ECNs on customer re-contracting whilst controlling for other factors.
Main documents
Supporting documents
Ofcom strongly believes customers should get a fair deal for their communication services. We want customers to be able to take advantage of the wide choice of services available and shop around with confidence, so that they can get the best deals for their needs. To help customers to do this, we are imposing new requirements on providers to send important information to their customers when their contracts are coming to an end and on a regular basis after that.
Our new requirements will mean broadband, mobile, home phone and pay TV companies must notify their residential and business customers when their minimum contract period is coming to an end. These notifications will tell residential customers about the best tariffs available from their providers. Business customers will be given best tariff information in a form that is suitable for them. All customers who remain out-of-contract will also be given best tariff information by their provider at least annually.
The changes will involve providers sending personalised and tailored information to millions of individual customers. To make sure they get this right, companies will have nine months to make the necessary changes to their systems and processes. Customers will start receiving the notifications from 15 February 2020.
Our statement sets out in detail the requirements we are placing on companies.
Responses to our consultation on end-of-contact notifications and annual best tariff notifications
Responses
| Responder name | Type |
|---|---|
| BT (PDF File, 653.7 KB) | Organisation |
| Citizens Advice (PDF File, 439.5 KB) | Organisation |
| Collective business response (Verizon, ATT, Gamma, Colt, CenturyLink) (PDF File, 549.6 KB) | Organisation |
| Consumer Communications Panel and ACOD (PDF File, 179.5 KB) | Organisation |
| Decision Tech (PDF File, 497.5 KB) | Organisation |