Page 113 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

incentives to Communications Providers (CPs) in order they are in contract, and we’re investigating to check
to encourage the adoption of GEA-FTTP through the whether this happened in practice.’
migration of existing copper end customers to GEA- (December 2, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
FTTP.’ (December 15, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
The communications regulator Ofcom opened an
British communications regulator Ofcom has investigation into whether terms around in-contract
announced the launch of an industry-wide enforcement price rises had been communicated clearly enough to
program into whether in-contract price rises were laid consumers by mobile and fixed operators prior to sign-
down clearly enough by operators before customers up. After analyzing complaints and other preliminary
signed up. In a press release, Ofcom announced that, evidence, the regulator stated it had concerns customers
having analyzed customer complaints and other who took out plans between the start of March 2021
preliminary evidence, it was concerned that consumers and 16 June 2022 may not have been provided with
who took out contracts between 1 March 2021 and 16 sufficiently-clear information. Ofcom’s investigation
June 2022 may not have been provided with sufficiently covers the above period, which ends the day before
clear information about in-contract price rises, which new regulations on the matter came into force. At
are usually applied in March or April each year. As per the time covered by the probe, Ofcom noted service
the regulator’s rules during that period, if a provider providers were required to “set out” any potential future
included potential future price rises in the terms of a price rises in contracts “prominently and transparently
contract, these were required to be set out prominently at the point of sale”. “If the customer hadn’t agreed to
and transparently at the point of sale. If it were the those terms when signing up, because they hadn’t been
case that customer had not agreed to those terms made sufficiently prominent and transparent, providers
when signing up – because they had not been made should have notified them of the price increase and
sufficiently prominent and transparent – providers offered them a right to exit penalty-free.” Ofcom noted
should have notified them of the price increase and it could subsequently launch separate investigations
offered them a right to exit penalty-free. Ofcom has into specific providers if issues with them were found.
said it is now investigating ‘what happened in practice’, (December 1, 2022) www.mobileworldlive.com
while noting it plans to collect additional information
from a range of service providers to assess the steps Ofcom's Content Board is a committee of the main
they have taken to ensure these terms are prominent Ofcom Board. It has delegated, advisory responsibility
and transparent. Should the watchdog identify specific for a wide range of content issues, including the
issues with providers complying with our rules, it may regulation of television, radio and video-on-demand
launch separate investigations into individual firms. quality and standards. The Content Board provides
Commenting on the matter, Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s senior editorial and content experience to Ofcom. It is
Networks and Communications Group Director, said: made up of experts from a range of commercial, media
‘As millions of people are having to deal with rising and telecoms backgrounds, including newspapers,
household bills, it is more important than ever that Channel 4, Sky, tech platforms and broadcasting. Maria
telecoms companies don’t shirk their responsibilities will to Ofcom the interests and opinions of people
and keep customers fully informed about what they living in Northern Ireland. She will join Ofcom’s Content
are signing up to … It’s vital that people are told clearly Board on a three-year term, beginning on 21 November
upfront about any future price rises they will face while 2022. (November 21, 2022) www.ofcom.org.uk

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) commercial mobile communications. That authority
ability to auction spectrum is up for renewal on 16 was originally due to expire on 30 September 1998,
December 2022, following a temporary postponement but Congress has extended it several times. The most
earlier this year. According to a recent report from recent long-term extension in 2012 – which ran until 30
United the Congressional Research Service, members of September 2022 – was granted as part of the ‘Middle
Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012’. On 30
Congress are understood to be debating the duration
States of a future extension and the best legislative vehicle for September 2022, Congress passed – and President
the extension. This may take the form of a standalone Biden signed – a continuing resolution that extended
bill, an annual appropriation bill, or some other the FCC’s spectrum auction authority until 16 December
vehicle. Members are also continuing to discuss the 2022. That extension allowed the FCC to complete
development of a comprehensive spectrum package licensing and other activities related to its 2.5GHz band
that would include a further extension among other auction (‘Auction 108’). (December 1, 2022) www.commsupdate.com
provisions. Back in 1993 Congress authorized the
FCC to use competitive bidding (i.e. auctions) to grant US regulator the Federal Communications Commission
licenses for rights to use specific frequencies for (FCC) released updated broadband maps showing

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