Television, Radio and Telecommunications Office for Communication, more commonly stylised as Ofcom, is a communications regulator responsible fore the regulation of the television and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobile, postal services and the airwaves in which wireless devices operate.
Is it their job to ensure that people living in the UK get the most from their various communications services as well as being protected from scams, whilst still ensuring that industry competition is able to thrive.
Ofcom is funded by industry fees that are paid for the regulation of broadcasting and communications networks. They are also given a grant-in-aid from the government.
They operate under the Communications Act 2003 which states that Ofcom have general duties that include furthering the interests of citizens and consumers, meeting those requirements is their main purpose.
Ofcom have a list of main legal duties that they must complete. On their website, they state that they are to ensure;
'- the UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed services such as broadband
-a wide range of high quality television and radio programmes are provided, appealing to a range of tastes and interests
- television and radio services are provided by a range of different organisations
- people who watch television and listen to the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material
- people are protected from being unfairly treated in television and radio programmes and from having their privacy invaded
- a universal postal service is provided in the UK - this means six days a week, universally priced delivery and collection service across the country
- the radio spectrum (the airwaves used by everyone from taxi firms to boat owners, to mobile-phone companies and broadcasters) is used in the world effective way'
They also state that they are not responsible for;
'- disputes between you and your telecoms provider
- premium-rate services, including mobile-hone text services and ringtones
- the content of television and radio adverts
- complaints about accuracy in BBC programmes
- the BBC TV license fee
- post offices
- newspapers and magazines'
No comments:
Post a Comment