Ofcom invites views on its priorities for 2014/15

26 Sep 2013 03:56 PM

Ofcom is today inviting members of the public, as well as those working in the industries it regulates, to contribute to its work plan and priorities for the next financial year.

The ‘Invitation to Comment’ encourages anyone with an interest in Ofcom’s activities to offer their views on which areas of the telecoms, media, postal and spectrum industries should be addressed in Ofcom’s Annual Plan for 2014/15.

Ofcom’s current work

Ofcom’s main priority is to ensure that UK communications markets work to support consumer and citizen interests. Ofcom’s strategic purposes are to:

• maintain audience confidence in broadcast content;
• protect consumers from harm;
• promote opportunities to participate;
• promote effective competition and informed choice;
• contribute to and implement public policy defined by Parliament; and
• secure optimal use of spectrum.

Details of how our current programme of work seeks to fulfil these purposes is outlined in the Annual Plan for 2013/14.

Since publishing this plan, additional high-priority work has emerged, including:

• Ofcom will be managing the release of 190 MHz of radio spectrum, formerly used by the Ministry of Defence;
• Ofcom is considering some significant recent Competition Act disputes between companies it regulates. These are complex cases involving communications and pay TV providers, and will be a key part of Ofcom’s work in the coming months.

Tell us what you think

Responses from the public and stakeholders will help inform the draft Annual Plan, which Ofcom will consult on in December. Ofcom expects to publish its final plan in March 2014.

Ofcom invites comments by 5pm on 24 October 2013.