Take me through the changes step by step

What is Ofcom doing to improve consumer information available from telephone providers?

The extension of Premium Rate Services regulations to the 0871 range will extend ICSTIS regulations to include 0871. ICSTIS will consult separately on specific proposals to improve price transparency and consumer protection on 0871 calls. This is likely to result in a requirement for all published advertisements to show information on the price of the 0871 calls for example.

Ofcom has also implemented a series of modifications to General Condition 14 on Codes of Practice. One of these is the requirement for all originating communications providers (i.e. the provider that originates a call), including mobiles, to give equal prominence in their price lists and on websites to NTS and geographic call prices.

Ofcom will continue to provide support to the Advertising Standards Authority/Committee of Advertising Practice ('ASA/CAP') to ensure appropriate guidance on how 08 numbers and other NTS numbers should be advertised. The guidance requires that adverts should provide consumers with pricing information for calls to NTS numbers, and that adverts should not refer to 084 or 087 numbers as being charged at the "national" or "local" call rates.