Tag: OFCOM
8 in 10 received scam text or call in last 3 months, claims Ofcom research
Almost 45 million people have been on the receiving end of potential scam texts or calls in the last three months, new Ofcom research reveals. More than eight in 10 (82%) said they had received a suspicious message, in the form of either a text, recorded message or live phone call to a landline or mobile. This…
Ofcom issues new guidance to protect users from harmful video content
People who use online video-sharing sites and apps should be better protected from harmful content, as Ofcom issues new guidance for tech companies today. Video sharing platforms (VSPs) are a type of online video service where users can upload and share videos. VSPs established in the UK – such as TikTok, Snapchat, Vimeo and Twitch – are…
Ofcom introduces ‘One Touch Switching’ for broadband customers
Broadband and landline customers should find it easier than ever to change provider and secure a better deal, under a new ‘One Touch Switch’ process announced today by Ofcom. The change means all home broadband users – including cable and full fibre customers – will only have to contact their new company to switch, with no…
1 in 4 UK homes now get fast full-fibre internet, claims Ofcom
Around one in four UK homes can now get faster full-fibre internet, as broadband companies have extended their networks at a rapid pace during the pandemic – new Ofcom figures reveal. New figures published in Ofcom’s Connected Nations summer update show that just under seven million (24%) of all UK homes can take-up full-fibre internet packages -…
UK adults spent more time online during lockdown than those of other nations
UK adults spent more time online on computers, smartphones or tablets in 2020 than those in other European countries, according to Ofcom’s annual study into the nation’s online habits. Its Online Nation 2021 report looked at an unprecedented year, when communication, entertainment, culture, retail, work and education moved more online. UK adults spent more than…
Tech Digest daily roundup: Half of UK adults visited adult website during lockdown
UK adults spent more time online than other large European countries such as France and Germany during the pandemic, according to Ofcom. They spent more than three-and-a-half hours (217 minutes) online each day in 2020 – more than an hour longer than in Germany and France and 30 minutes more than Spain, the regulator’s annual…
Tech Digest daily round up: Microsoft President warns of AI threat on Panorama
Life as depicted in George Orwell’s 1984 “could come to pass in 2024” if lawmakers don’t protect the public against artificial intelligence, Microsoft’s president has warned. Speaking to BBC's Panorama, Brad Smith said it will be "difficult to catch up” with the rapidly advancing technology. The programme explores China’s increasing use of AI to monitor…
Sky needs to issue ‘end of contract notifications’, claims Ofcom
An initial investigation by telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today found “reasonable grounds to believe” that Sky UK (Sky TV, Sky Broadband) may have broken consumer protection rules over its apparent refusal to issue end-of-contract notifications to Pay TV customers. The regulator’s End-of-Contract Notifications (ECN) system requires all fixed broadband, mobile, home phone and pay TV providers to…
BT to extend full-fibre broadband to 25m premises by 2026
BT said today (May 13th, 2021) it would extend its full-fibre broadband network to 25m premises by the end of 2026. The provider aims to fund the remaining 5m homes and businesses through a joint venture with other parties. It is thought the move, which could cost up to £50bn, will lead to as many…
Telecoms companies need to improve customer service, claims Ofcom
Telecoms firms need to go further in tackling customer service problems, despite the support they offered during the pandemic, Ofcom has found. In 2019, the UK’s biggest broadband, phone and pay-TV providers committed to putting fairness at the heart of their businesses and going beyond their legal obligations for how they treat their customers. Ofcom’s review of progress against those commitments has found that many companies have taken steps to provide fairer deals,…
