The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has published a Draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, radio spectrum and postal services, setting out five growth focused objectives that Ofcom must have regard to and report against annually. The statement frames economic growth as the primary objective for regulation, with Ofcom expected to align its approach with the government’s wider infrastructure and regulatory reform agendas.
In the consultation outcome, the Government mentions CCUK’s recommendations put forward in its response to the consultation, particularly on the need to tackle fraud and have greater consideration for the business supply chain. The draft SSP notes that Ofcom should continue to use its levers to identify and address the vulnerabilities in telecoms networks that are exploited by criminals to scam consumers, and that the Government expects Ofcom to have further close collaboration with government and other relevant stakeholders over the coming years to help reduce fraud that impacts consumers.
The statement also puts strong weight on consumer outcomes, digital inclusion and support for vulnerable users, including in the context of PSTN migration to VoIP and the 3G and 2G switch off. Ofcom is encouraged to tighten its focus on pricing practices, contract clarity and switching, improve confidence in newer providers, and continue work with government and others to tackle telecoms enabled fraud and scams, including exploring “smart data” schemes in telecoms.
For CCUK members, the priorities point to a more assertive growth and resilience mandate for Ofcom across all IP based communications, with closer scrutiny of how fixed and mobile networks modernise, support vulnerable and telecare users during digital voice transitions, and design protections against scams and fraud that increasingly rely on VoIP and related services.