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.
Note: While we do seek to ensure this page is kept up to date, we do not undertake that it will be so. Please refer to the relevant regulatory instrument if looking to rely upon the figures.
Charge Controls for Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) and Wholesale Line Rental (WLR)
Communications providers which use BT’s copper network to provide wholesale and telephone and broadband services to homes and businesses are required to pay Openreach, BT’s wholesale access division, a fee to access the network for the provision of various wholesale telecoms services. The wholesale charge for such services is regulated by Ofcom where BT has been found to have significant market power in the delivery of these services. On 26 June 2014 Ofcom set charge controls for two such categories of services: local loop unbundling (LLU) and wholesale line rental (WLR) services.
Basket/service |
Charges at 31 March 2014 (£) | Nominal charges for 2014/15 (£) * | Charge control for 2015/16 to 2016/17 |
---|---|---|---|
MPF rental |
£83.92 |
£86.11 |
CPI+0.3% |
SMPF rental |
£9.89 |
£5.54 |
CPI-33.4% |
WLR Rental |
£93.32 |
£91.05 |
CPI-3.0% |
WLR Transfer |
£3.39 |
£4.63 |
CPI+34.4% |
MPF Single Migration |
£30.65 |
£30.83 |
CPI-1.5% |
SMPF Single Migration/Provide |
£30.65 |
£30.83 |
CPI-1.5% |
* The above charge controls on local loop unbundling (LLU) and wholesale line rental (WLR) services for 2014/15 apply from 1 July 2014. Ofcom published correspondence with BT regarding its interim prices for LLU and WLR core rental services from 1 April 2014 to 30 June, the period between the expiry of the previous charge controls and introduction of the new controls.
Mobile termination rate (MTR) caps expressed in pence per minute
From 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015(*) | From 1 April 2015 to 30 April 2015 (*) | From 1 May 2015 to 31 March 2016(**) | From 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017(**) | From 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018(**) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nominal prices | 0.845 | 0.845 | 0.680 | 0.503 | |
2012/13 prices | 0.826 | 0.826 | 0.661 | 0.490 | 0.475 |
Value of X in CPI-X formula | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 3.1% |
(*) MTR cap only applies to EE, H3G, Telefonica and Vodafone.
(**) MTR cap applies to all mobile communication providers as listed in the 2015 MCT statement
Safeguard cap for Second Class stamps
Ofcom removed the significant majority of regulatory controls on Royal Mail’s prices as part of its review of the regulatory framework for the postal sector concluded in March 2012, However, to ensure that a basic universal postal service is available to all, Ofcom capped the prices that Royal Mail can charge for Second Class stamps up to 2kg. This cap is expected to be in place for the seven years of the current regulatory framework (i.e. till March 2019).
The cap on the Second Class Letter price was set at 55p in 2012, increasing by CPI from 2013 onwards. The cap for Large Letters and packets (up to 2kg) is a control on the maximum level of prices for the basket of products. This takes the form of a basket weighted by volume which allows Royal Mail flexibility to set the prices of the eight individual products within the basket. The level of the Large Letter and packet cap for 2012 was set at an increase of 53% on 2011-12 prices (consistent with the Letter increase), increasing by CPI from 2013 onwards.
Safeguard cap | April 2012 | April 2013 – March 2019 |
---|---|---|
Letters | 55p | 55p + CPI |
Large Letters and packets | 2011-12 average price + 53% | + CPI |
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 |