Broadband, phone and pay TV firms must tell customers about their best deals Add to Your Pages
15 May 2019
New Ofcom rules will help people get the best package for their needs
Firms will have to alert customers when their deal is coming to an end
Providers must tell customers every year about the best deals they offer
Broadband, phone and TV customers must be told when their contract is coming to an end, and shown the best deals available, under new rules announced today by Ofcom.[1]
Ofcom wants customers to be able to take advantage of choice in broadband, phone and TV, and get the best deals for their needs. This could be by switching provider or agreeing a new deal with their existing one.
To help people do this, we are requiring broadband, TV, mobile and home phone companies to send their customers the information they need about their contract, when they need it, so they can choose the best package for them.[2] These protections are the latest in Ofcom's Fairness for customers programme.
20 million could benefitOur research shows that more than 20 million customers have passed their initial contract period. Many of these could be paying more than they need to.
People who bundle their landline and broadband services together pay, on average, around 20% more when they are out of contract'. This rises to 26% among customers who bundle their pay TV with these two services.
Around one in seven customers (14%) don't know whether they are still tied to their original deal; and around one in eight (12%) believe they are in contract', but don't know when this period ends.
New alerts for customersTherefore, Ofcom has stepped in to ensure fairness for customers, by forcing telecoms and pay TV companies to warn customers between 10 and 40 days before their contract comes to an end. These alerts will be sent by text, email or letter.[3] They will include:
the contract end date;
the price paid before this date;
any changes to the service and price paid at the end of this period;
information about any notice period required to terminate the contract; and
the best deals offered by their provider, including telling loyal customers what prices are available to new customers.
People who choose to stay with their provider without signing up to a new contract will be sent a reminder every year about their firm's best deals.
Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom's Consumer Group Director, said: We're making sure customers are treated fairly, by making companies give them the information they need, when they need it.
This will put power in the hands of millions of people who're paying more than necessary when they're no longer tied to a contract.
The changes will involve providers sending personalised and tailored information to millions of individual customers. To make sure they get this right, companies will have nine months to make the necessary changes to their systems and processes. Customers will start receiving the notifications from 15 February next year.
Fairness for customersOur Fairness for customers campaign has also recently introduced:
money back for broadband and landline customers when things go wrong;
clear, honest information for broadband shoppers before they commit to a contract about what speeds they will get; and
a major information campaign and website, Boost Your Broadband, to help people get faster broadband and save money.
On 1 July 2019, new rules will come into effect that will make it quicker and easier to switch mobile provider.
NOTES TO EDITORS1. Generally, where we talk about a contract' for example, the initial contract period', or being out of contract' or in contract' this refers to a customer's fixed commitment period. That is, the period of time over which a customer cannot cancel their services or switch to a different provider without paying a cancellation charge.
2. Business customers will also receive end-of-contract' notifications and best tariff information annually in a form suitable for them.
3. Here is an example of an end-of-contract notification sent by text message:
Add to Your Pages
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
12/05/2026
CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...
12/05/2026
Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...
12/05/2026
Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...
12/05/2026
Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...
12/05/2026
dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
NUGEN Audio will debut Version 1.1 of DialogCheck, its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at the 2026 Media Production & Technology Show (S...
12/05/2026
The reactive visuals can adapt to any stage or screen setup and comprise 50 layers of Notch content
Today, Disguise announced that its high performance GX 3 m...
12/05/2026
Snapgrid , Snapbag & Airglow Expand Creative Control for the ARRI Modular LED BarFollowing the launch of the ARRI Omnibar, DoPchoice introduces a dedicated li...
12/05/2026
Back to All News
Macarena Garc a and Carlos Cuevas star in El Acercamiento de l...
12/05/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils Documentary on Norway's 26-Year Journey to...
12/05/2026
Back to All News
The Netflix Effect
Ted Sarandos
co-CEO
Social Impact
12 May 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Download all assets
Ten years ago, Ne...
12/05/2026
This is my news content...
12/05/2026
From finance and procurement to supply chain and manufacturing, specialized AI agents are moving into the enterprise systems where business decisions are made, ...
11/05/2026
New production unit features not only wealth of Ross gear but also Sony cameras, Canon lenses, and a Calrec Argo S audio board...
11/05/2026
Solid State Logic (SSL) has announced TCA Tour, a portable fly-away audio production system built from System T components for broadcast, touring, and live prod...
11/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced it will serve as Official Connectivity Integ...
11/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D) and NETGEAR AV have announced a plugin that automates network configuration for G&D KVM-over-IP deployments on NETGEAR AV Line infra...
11/05/2026
The Famous Group (TFG) and Elite Edge, a production studio specializing in live-action production, show opens, set design, and fabrication for sports and live e...
11/05/2026
The native of S o Paulo, Brazil, will play a crucial role in the broadcaster'...
11/05/2026
Cobalt Digital will exhibit its IPMX/ST 2110 product lineup at BroadcastAsia 2026 (Stand 5D2-4), anchored by the COBALT blueCORE family of standalone signal pro...
11/05/2026
Interra Systems will exhibit at BroadcastAsia 2026 (Stand 5C1-10), demonstrating...
11/05/2026
T-Mobile is serving as a technology partner for the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, deploying 5G connectivity and ...
11/05/2026
Vizrt has announced it has been named an Official Technical Supplier of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, in partnership with host broadcaster ORF. The 70th edi...
11/05/2026
The WNBA and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have announced a multi-year partnership making AWS the Official Cloud and Cloud AI Partner of the WNBA. AWS is also joini...
11/05/2026
Austrian private broadcaster kronehit publicly awarded SLG Broadcast AG and Lawo...
11/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
11/05/2026
As Eurovision fans gear up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic song ...
11/05/2026
Pela primeira vez na hist ria, o Brasil figura entre os oito maiores mercados de...
11/05/2026
New desktop instrument focused on tactile performance
Bastl Instruments have announced the Kalimba, a new desktop instrument that combines physical modellin...
11/05/2026
Compact sampling workstation gains new features
1010music have announced the blackbox 2, a new version of their compact standalone sampler designed for DAWl...
11/05/2026
Performance-focused sequencer with microtonal control
Berlin-based KOMA Elektronik have announced Monoplex, a new 42HP Eurorack sequencer designed for hands...
11/05/2026
Boasts wireless control from mobile devices
The latest iteration of IK Multimedia's compact amp and effects modelling pedal expands on the capabilities ...
11/05/2026
Spans traditional orchestral and experimental sounds
Sonora Cinematic have recently released the third instalment in their Transfigured Orchestra series, de...
11/05/2026
Our exhibition coverage
Watch all our SUPERBOOTH 2026 video coverage in one place. Check back to this page regularly as we will be updating with more video ...
11/05/2026
You're not meant to look at an Eclipse, but you won't be able to take yo...
Broadband, phone and pay TV firms must tell customers about their best deals Add to Your Pages 
