Ofcom plans ban on mobile firms selling locked phones Add to Your Pages
17 December 2019
New rules also proposed to make broadband switching easier
Mobile phone companies would be banned from selling locked handsets, under a range of new plans from Ofcom to make switching even simpler.
Companies including BT/EE, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone still sell mobile phones that cannot be used on other networks unless they are unlocked, which can cost around £10. Ofcom research has found that more than a third of people who decided against switching said this put them off.[1]
Nearly half of customers who try to unlock their device find it difficult. For example, they may experience a long delay before getting the code they need to unlock their device; they might be given a code that does not work; or they could suffer a loss of service if they did not realise their device was locked before they tried to switch.
So we are proposing to ban mobile companies from selling locked phones, allowing people to move to a different network with their existing handset, hassle-free.
This follows major reforms, introduced in July, that mean mobile customers can now switch operator by simply sending a free text message.
Lindsey Fussell, Ofcoms Consumer Group Director, said: Switching mobile provider can be really frustrating.
By freeing mobile users from locked handsets, our plans would save people time, effort and money and help them unlock a better deal.
Simpler broadband switchingOfcom is also planning to make it easier to switch between broadband networks, as part of a broad package of protections for customers that reflect new European rules.[2]
At present, customers switching between providers such as BT, Sky and TalkTalk on Openreach's copper network can already follow a simple process, where their new provider manages the switch.
But this has not been available to customers moving to a different broadband network such as CityFibre, Gigaclear, Hyperoptic or Virgin Media. These customers need to contact both their existing and new provider to co-ordinate the switch and make sure there is no gap between the old service ending and the new one starting.
Our research shows that more than four in ten people (43%) who decide against switching do so because they are worried about arranging two different services to start and end at the right time. More than a third (37%) are put off by having to speak to two different companies. And a similar number (35%) worry about having to pay their old and new provider at the same time.[3]
Under our proposed new rules, switching would be made easier for all broadband customers, whether they are switching between different networks, or a full-fibre service on the same network.
Providers would also have to compensate customers if things go wrong and they are left without a service for more than one working day. And we are proposing to ban notice-period charges beyond the switch date.[4]
999 video calls for sign language callsAs a further action to ensure fairness for customers, we are proposing new rules that will mean British Sign Language users can contact the emergency services using video calls.
Under these proposals, an interpreter in a call centre would translate between British Sign Language and English. The service would be free and available 24/7 helping to make emergency communications faster and more accurate for both deaf users and the emergency services.[5]
Fairness for customersOfcom has an extensive programme to help people shop around with confidence, make informed choices, switch easily and get a fair deal. This also includes:
From February next year, broadband, phone and TV customers must be told when their initial contract is coming to an end, and shown the best deals available. People who choose to stay with their provider without signing up to a new contract will be given details of their firm's best deals every year.[6]
Clear, honest information for broadband shoppers before they commit to a contract about what speeds they will get.
Fairer pricing. Following our reviews of both broadband and mobile pricing, a number of the UK's biggest broadband and mobile companies have committed to fairer prices for customers whose initial deal has ended.
We regularly shine a light on which major telecoms and pay TV providers are best and worst for customer service.
We are also today consulting on changes to our accreditation scheme for price comparison tools, to make sure they continue to work for customers in the digital market.
NOTES TO EDITORS
O2, Sky, Three and Virgin all choose to sell unlocked devices to their customers.
Today's proposals are part of our work to implement the new European Electronic Communications Code (EECC). It entered into force on 20 December 2018 and EU member states have until 21 December 2020 to transpose it into national law. Other elements of the code that we are proposing to implement include changes to the information customers receive before they agree a contract, and their right to exit a contract before its end date.
Ofcom switching experience tracker 2018. The data refers to people who bundle their landline and broadband services together, those who package their pay TV with these two services, and customers who buy their pay TV separately.
In July, we banned mobile providers from charging for notice periods running after the switch date. We are now looking to extend this to broadband switching.
We have published information in British Sign Language about our proposals, and also welcome responses to our consultation using sign language.
All customers who are not within a fixed term contract, like pay-as-you-go and SIM-only customers, will also get these annual notices.
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 ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
23/07/2026
Screen Australia announces new national documentary accelerator program 23 July 2026
Screen Australia has today announced the Above the Line Documentary Accel...
22/07/2026
Among other tweaks to coverage, the broadcaster added announce positions in the ...
22/07/2026
The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) has reported a sharp acceleration in Australia's sportstech sector, with revenue growth rising from 10% in...
22/07/2026
From a retrofitted broadcast bus to packed Match Day Live! events, Bennett detai...
22/07/2026
TMRW Sports has named Brendan Donohue as President, Flag Football, where he will lead the company's professional flag football business in partnership with ...
22/07/2026
Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) designed and produced soundtracks for nine projection...
22/07/2026
Harmonic has announced a $25,000 donation to Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) fo...
22/07/2026
Telemundo has announced it has acquired from UC3 exclusive U.S. Spanish-language...
22/07/2026
The Rest Is Football, hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards, ...
22/07/2026
Sports Studio has announced a partnership with TheSoul Group to distribute Free ...
22/07/2026
Daktronics has concluded its 2026 High School Video Summit, a two-day hybrid event combining virtual sessions with hands-on host school visits across the countr...
22/07/2026
FOR-A America will exhibit at the MMCA Show in Pensacola, Florida (July 21-24), marking the company's first appearance at the house of worship AV event. FOR...
22/07/2026
The New York Yankees have selected Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) to connect Ya...
22/07/2026
Calrec will exhibit at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.C47) with demonstrations of its IP-native audio ecosystem built around the Argo console range, and will announce two ne...
22/07/2026
Solid State Logic has announced the appointment of Algam EKO as its distributor for SSL large format consoles in Italy, covering the Live, Broadcast, and Studio...
22/07/2026
FloSports has announced the launch of the FloSports Channel, a free ad-supported streaming channel premiering on Prime Video in the U.S. on July 21. The channel...
22/07/2026
Banana Ball TV (BTV), the broadcast operation of the Savannah Bananas, has insta...
22/07/2026
SiriusXM and Audacy have announced an agreement bringing 42 Audacy sports, news, and talk stations from 29 U.S. markets to SiriusXM. Twenty-three Audacy sports ...
22/07/2026
The collaboration produced more than 500 short-form videos across four cities th...
22/07/2026
At 2,600 sq. ft., the new home of digital content houses a main studio, podcast space, and an auxiliary control room
NFL franchises are accelerating their prod...
22/07/2026
Library now available in Engine Player
Another of Eduardo Tarilonte's popular sample libraries has just been moved over to Engine Audio's Engine Pla...
22/07/2026
All-in-one mic & DSP interface overhauled
Cloudvocal have just refreshed the design of their all-in-one mic, audio interface and DSP processor, introducing ...
22/07/2026
The final boss of the lost dual-op-amp circuit
Electro-Harmonix have just introduced the Deluxe Big Muff Pi 2, which they say offers their latest take on t...
22/07/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Proven managed IP solution helps broadcasters confidently navigate the future of broadcast distribution
LTN announces it has completed successful satellite-to-...
22/07/2026
Today, Chaos announced V-Ray 7, update 4, eliminating the need for asset conversions and tool switching, which slow down media and entertainment pipelines. Arti...
22/07/2026
An AI playground for the Project Indigo camera app
Marc Levoy July 22, 2026
0 Comments
At left is the user interface of our Playground, running on an ...
22/07/2026
Custom Consoles announces the completion of a large technical furniture project for Radio T l vision Suisse (RTS) at the networks recently inaugurated productio...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Culver City, CA, July 21, 2026 3D streaming infrastructure provider Miris today announced glTF intake, including the binary .glb form, to its spatial streamin...
22/07/2026
Documentary Lo Invisible Captured with Blackmagic PYXIS 6K
Brie Clayton July 21, 2026
0 Comments
Camera's versatile design allowed filmmakers to c...
22/07/2026
AAF Bridge converts AAF and XML Timelines to Ableton Live - and back
Jerome Gardier July 21, 2026
0 Comments
A two-way converter for macOS and Windows...
22/07/2026
From Class to Concert: Explore a Student-Led Production of David Bowies Work Thr...
22/07/2026
NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang today visited the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, to commission an NVIDIA DGX GB300 system - bringing one...
22/07/2026
A poisoned spy, a secret war, and a small English city contaminated by a deadly chemical weapon. Available on Sky Documentaries from 4 AugustWednesday 22 July 2...
22/07/2026
Audio at Parity: Comscore Launches Transcript-Level Targeting and Measurement wi...
22/07/2026
Arvato Systems and Lobster Enter into a Partnership and Combine the Integration Platform and Managed Services
Flexible integration solutions for cloud, hybrid...
22/07/2026
RT REPORTS NET SURPLUS OF 22.5 MILLION IN 2025...
22/07/2026
In the Opinion of the Censor airs Monday 27 July at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player
In the Opinion of the Censor looks at how films for theatrical release wer...
22/07/2026
Before a healthcare robot can be useful in the real world, it has to learn how the physical world pushes back. Anatomy varies. Instruments bend, press, slip and...
Ofcom plans ban on mobile firms selling locked phones Add to Your Pages 
