General Conditions of Entitlement

The General Conditions of Entitlement are the regulatory conditions that all providers of electronic communications networks and services must comply with if they want to provide services in the UK. They replaced the former licensing regime which applied under the Telecommunications Act 1984 until 25 July 2003, when the new EU communications regulatory framework was implemented in the UK through the Communications Act 2003.

The general conditions are conditions which are of general application. We can impose them on all communications providers or on all providers of networks or services of a particular description. Unlike universal service conditions, “SMP” conditions (which are imposed as a result of a finding of significant market power), and access-related conditions, general conditions cannot be imposed on specific individual providers.

Review of the general conditions

In September 2017, Ofcom concluded a comprehensive review of the general conditions, the aim of which was to produce a revised set of up to date conditions which reflect Ofcom’s current priorities and concerns, and are simpler and clearer for industry to comply with.

The revised general conditions came into force on 1 October 2018. View an archive of the previous general conditions and related guidance.

The general conditions broadly fall into three main categories:

network functioning conditions (Part A of the GCs);
numbering and other technical conditions (Part B of the GCs); and
consumer protection conditions (Part C of the GCs).

The general conditions have been amended from time to time.

See an unofficial consolidated version of the general conditions (PDF, 875.6 KB).

Scope of application and definitions

At the beginning of each GC, its scope of application is set out by describing the category of communications providers to which the condition applies, and defining that category of providers as “Regulated Providers” for the purpose of individual conditions. Some GCs, such as conditions A2 and B1, apply to all “Communications Providers”, whereas others apply to more limited categories of CPs, for example condition C8 applies to mobile service providers.

All the definitions used in the GCs are set out in a single ‘Definitions’ section at the end of the GCs. These include the terms “Electronic Communications Network” and “Electronic Communications Service”, which are relevant to the definition of “Communications Provider”.

Part A: Network functioning conditions

A1 General network access and interconnection obligations

A2 Standards and specifications

A3 Availability of services and access to emergency services

This condition aims to ensure the fullest possible availability of public communications services at all times, including in the event of a disaster or catastrophic network failure, and uninterrupted access to emergency organisations. It requires providers of call services to ensure that calls can be made to emergency organisations free of charge and to make caller location information available to emergency organisations where technically feasible. It also includes specific rules relating to providers of VoIP outbound call services which aim to ensure that users of those services are aware of any potential limitations on making calls to emergency organisations and that accurate and up-to-date caller location information can be provided to the emergency organisations where possible.

Part B: Numbering and technical conditions

B1 Allocation, adoption and use of telephone numbers

B2 Directory information

This condition requires all communications providers to whom telephone numbers are allocated to pass on the directory information of their subscribers to others persons so as to ensure that a comprehensive directory database can be compiled from which directory products and services can be provided. It also requires directories to be updated at least once a year and provided to subscribers on request.

B3 Number portability

B4 Access to numbers and services

Part C: Consumer protection conditions

C1 Contract requirements

This condition aims to protect consumers and end-users by ensuring that contracts for a connection to a public electronic communications network or for public electronic communications services include minimum terms and information. It also sets out requirements about contract duration, facilitating changes of communications provider and end-users’ rights to terminate a contract, which are designed to ensure that end users are treated fairly and able to switch to a different provider in appropriate cases.

C2 Information publication and transparency requirements

This condition aims to ensure the availability of adequate, up-to-date, comparable information for consumers on the prices, tariffs, terms and conditions of communications services, and any charges applicable on termination of their contract so as to enable consumers to compare easily the offers and services available in the market. In addition, it aims to ensure that pricing and charges relating to premium rate services, non-geographic numbers and personal numbers are clear.

C3 Billing requirements

This condition aims to ensure that customers of communications providers are not overcharged and that they receive the services they are charged and pay for, that they can adequately control how much they spend on the usage of voice call and data services, and that they are treated fairly where they have not paid their bills.