Ofcom’s Communications Monthly Update – October 2018

This is a regular round-up of routine Ofcom publications over the last month.

This month’s update covers:

• Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator update
• Television broadcast licensing update
• Radio licensing monthly update
• 700 MHz clearance programme update
• Final directions granting Code powers to Box Broadband Limited and Integrated Digital Services Limited
• General demand for annual information from postal operators
• Letter to the Number Portability Executive Steering Group
• An econometric analysis of pricing trends in the UK
• Aeronautical radio licensing
• Ofcom diversity profile: interim update
• Q2 2018 telecoms data update
• Switching tracker
• Financing choices of stakeholders: implications for policy

Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator update
The Independent Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator (OTA2) has published its update for October 2018. At the end of October 2018, the number of unbundled lines stands at 10.04 million. There are 4.27 million WLR lines, and the number of telephone numbers using CPS is 1.70 million.

Television broadcast licensing update
Information about Ofcom’s broadcast TV licensing activity, including details of new licences issued and changes to existing licences.

Radio licensing monthly update
Information about Ofcom’s broadcast radio licensing activity with regard to both the commercial and community radio sectors. This includes details of the application process for short-term restricted service licences (“SRSLs”) to provide a radio service between 3 May and 7 June 2019 inclusive.

700 MHz clearance programme update
Details of the regional clearance work for the 700 MHz band, up to November 2018. The band is currently used by digital terrestrial television, and is being cleared for future mobile use. Updated timelines and detail on where to go for further information are also included.

Final directions granting Code powers to Box Broadband Limited and Integrated Digital Services Limited
Ofcom confirms that, pursuant to the electronic communications code and following consultation, Code powers have now been granted to Box Broadband Limited and Integrated Digital Services Limited.

General demand for annual information from postal operators
We have changed the date for relevant postal operators who are liable to pay charges towards Ofcom’s administrative costs to submit their relevant turnover. This date has been changed from “the last working day of May” to “the last working day of October”.

Letter to the Number Portability Executive Steering Group
Ofcom has called on telecoms operators to develop a process to override attempts to block or hinder legitimate number portability orders, and has committed to developing a new porting solution for an all-IP environment.

An econometric analysis of pricing trends in the UK
We have undertaken an econometric analysis of mobile pricing trends in the UK for tariffs that were available between 2013 and 2017.

Aeronautical radio licensing
From 2 November, Ofcom took over responsibility for issuing and administering aeronautical radio licences from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The CAA will continue to be responsible for assigning radio frequencies to aeronautical stations. We have published further information and guidance on the new arrangements.

Ofcom diversity profile – interim update
We published an interim update on the diversity profile of colleagues at Ofcom. We will publish our next full report in spring 2019, alongside an update on progress with the Diversity and Inclusion Programme that we launched in March 2018.

Q2 2018 telecoms data update
This quarterly update highlights trends from the data Ofcom collects on the UK telecommunications sector.

Switching tracker
This is data from a survey monitoring consumer supplier switching in the communications market.

Financing choices of stakeholders
This brief paper focuses on the different capital structures of infrastructure businesses across a number of sectors, and their relevance to public policy-making.

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