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Telecommunications Services

Answer

This is a matter for the Office of Communications. Ofcom’s view is that, while overall competition has produced significant benefits in the form of lower prices and better services, the problem of mis-selling in telecoms continues. It affects a significant minority of customers, and Ofcom has therefore put in place clear rules to protect consumers and is taking decisive action to enforce those rules. To give one example, I can confirm that Ofcom last week fined one company, Just Telecoms UK Ltd., trading as ““Lo-Rate””, the maximum amount—10 per cent. of its annual turnover—for mis-selling. That is part of Ofcom’s ongoing enforcement programme to address this issue and to enforce tougher rules introduced last year. Ofcom is actively investigating a number of further cases.

Secondary information

Type

Oral question

Reference

448 c971 

82775 

Session

2005-06

Oral question type

Lead

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber

Subjects

Consumers Competition Protection Ofcom Telecommunications Regulation Unfair practices

Link

View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk