Tag: OFCOM
Half of people get news from social media, Ofcom claims
Half of UK adults get their news from social media, according to research. But social media platforms tend to be rated least favourably for quality, accuracy, trustworthiness and impartiality, Ofcom found. The regulator’s annual news consumption report said that TV remains the most popular platform for accessing news, at 75%, but usage has decreased from 79%…
How do I switch mobile provider with text message?
Mobile users across the UK can now switch network provider via text message in a move aimed at simplifying the process. Here is how customers can go about changing: Why are these changes happening? The changes have been introduced by telecoms regulator Ofcom with the aim of making it less hassle for people to switch…
Broadband speeds up nearly 20% to over 50Mbit/s across UK
Average broadband speeds received by UK households have risen by almost 20% in the last year, Ofcom has reported. The average download speed has passed the 50 Mbit/s mark, rising by 18% in the last year to 54.2 Mbit/s, according to the regulator’s Home Broadband Speeds report. The report, which compares the speeds of different…
Vodafone turns old phone boxes into 4G hubs along Cornish coast
Dog and bone: Vodafone is converting old phone boxes into 4G hubs Disused phone boxes have been transformed to provide 4G mobile connections for beachgoers in Cornwall who have long struggled with little coverage. Visitors to Polzeath and Sennen Cove will be able to benefit from faster mobile internet and improved…
How will an online safety regulator work?
Plans for new laws making tech giants and social networks more accountable for harmful content online have been set out by the Government, in a bid to make the UK one of the safest places in the world to be online. Here is everything you need to know about the long-awaited white paper: Will there…
Government unveils ‘world’s first’ internet safety laws
The Government will introduce “world first” internet safety laws designed to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online, new proposals published today (8th April 2019) claim. A white paper on online harms, published jointly by the Departments for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Home Office, proposes strict…
How will the new broadband compensation rules work?
Broadband providers have agreed to begin compensating customers automatically when things go wrong with their service. Here is a closer look at how the new scheme breaks down. What has been agreed? From Monday (April 1st 2019), broadband and landline customers who suffer delays to repairs, installations or because of missed engineer appointments will automatically…
Money back automatically for broadband and landline faults, Ofcom confirms
Broadband and landline customers will now get money back from their providers when things go wrong without having to ask, regulator Ofcom has confirmed. Only around one in seven broadband or landline customers who suffer delayed repairs, installations or missed engineer appointments have received compensation from their provider, and even then, only in small amounts,…
Children need to be protected from ‘online Wild West’, MPs claim
Addiction to social media should potentially be classed as a disease, MPs said as they called for tough new regulation to protect children from firms operating in an “online Wild West”. In a new report looking at the impact of social media on mental health, MPs said platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram should be…
Broadband customers must now be told minimum speeds at point of sale
One third of us don't get advertised broadband speeds Broadband customers must be told the minimum and peak time speeds they will receive before they sign a contract under new protections coming into force on Friday. Providers will have to let customers walk away penalty-free if they take longer than…
