Ofcom facts for kids

This article is about Ministry of Communications. For other uses, see Ofcom (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids
Office of Communications

Ofcom offices at Riverside House, Bankside, next to Southwark Bridge in London
Abbreviation	Ofcom
Formation	29 December 2003; 21 years ago (29 December 2003)
Type	Statutory corporation
Legal status	Created by Office of Communications Act 2002
Purpose	Regulator and competition authority for broadcasting, postal services, telecommunications and radiocommunications spectrum
Headquarters	London, England
Location	London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Manchester, Warrington
Region served	United Kingdom
Official language	English, Welsh
Chairman	Michael Grade
Chief Executive	Melanie Dawes
Main organ	Board of Directors
Staff (2019)	902 (full-time equivalents)

The Office of Communications, usually called Ofcom, is like a referee for TV, radio, phone, internet, and postal services in the United Kingdom. It's a government-approved group that makes sure these services work well for everyone.

Ofcom has important jobs across these areas. It helps make sure there's fair competition. It also protects people from harmful or offensive things they might see or hear.

Some of the main things Ofcom looks after are:

Rules for TV and radio shows.
Broadband and phone services.
Online video platforms.
How wireless signals are used.
Postal services, like sending letters and parcels.

Ofcom was first set up by a law called the Office of Communications Act in 2002. It got its full powers from the Communications Act in 2003.

Ofcom's Story
What Ofcom Does
Who Leads Ofcom
Ofcom's Committees
Rules Against Hate Speech
See also

Ofcom's Story

On June 20, 2001, the UK Parliament announced that Ofcom would be created. The idea was to have one big "super-regulator." This new group would take over from several older organizations. It was meant to oversee all media as digital technology brought them closer together.

Ofcom officially started on December 29, 2003. It took on the duties that five different regulators used to handle:

The Broadcasting Standards Commission.
The Independent Television Commission.
The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel).
The Radio Authority.
The Radiocommunications Agency.

Over the years, Ofcom's role has grown. In 2011, it started regulating postal services. Before that, another group called Postcomm did this job.

In 2015, Ofcom made a big change for phone calls. It made sure that companies clearly show the cost of calling numbers starting with 084, 087, and 09. This helped people understand their phone bills better.

In 2016, Ofcom also took over regulating "video on demand" services. These are like streaming services where you choose what to watch.

A law called the Digital Economy Act in 2017 gave Ofcom even more powers. It could now set rules for minimum broadband speeds. It could also fine companies that didn't follow their promises. This law also gave Ofcom the job of regulating the BBC.

More recently, in 2020, the government announced that Ofcom would play a bigger role in regulating the internet. This is to help protect users from harmful or illegal content online.

What Ofcom Does

Ofcom has many important jobs to make sure communication services in the UK are fair and safe.

TV and Radio Rules

Ofcom gives licenses to all commercial TV and radio stations in the UK. This means these stations must follow certain rules. If they don't, they could lose their license. Ofcom also publishes the Broadcasting Code. This is a set of rules that all TV and radio shows must follow.

Phone and Internet Services

Ofcom sets and enforces rules for all mobile and home phone and internet companies. These rules cover things like phone numbers, emergency services, and how companies sell their services. Ofcom checks if companies follow these rules. It also helps solve problems between different providers.

Ofcom also works to make sure there is fair competition in the phone and internet market. This means no single company can become too powerful. For example, Ofcom made BT separate its wholesale and retail parts. This led to the creation of Openreach, which provides services to many different internet companies.

In 2015, Ofcom changed how calls to service numbers are charged. They made sure that numbers like 0800 and 0808 became free to call from both mobile phones and landlines. This helped people avoid unexpected charges.

In 2016, Ofcom launched a helpful tool. It's an online checker where you can enter your postcode. This lets you see the mobile phone coverage and broadband speeds in your area.

Managing Wireless Signals

Ofcom is in charge of managing the radio spectrum in the UK. This is the invisible space that carries wireless signals. These signals are used for TV, radio, mobile phones, and other wireless devices. Ofcom gives out licenses for different parts of this spectrum. Some licenses are simply paid for. Others, especially for commercial use, might involve a bidding process.

Ofcom also works to prevent interference and illegal use of the spectrum. It works with international groups to set rules for how frequencies are used. It also investigates and stops illegal radio stations.

Postal Services

Since October 1, 2011, Ofcom has been responsible for regulating postal services. Its main job is to make sure that the UK continues to have a postal service that delivers mail six days a week to everyone.

Asking for Opinions

Ofcom often asks people and companies for their opinions. This helps it make good decisions. It publishes documents online and asks for feedback. People have about 10 weeks to send in their thoughts. After this, Ofcom publishes all the responses. It then uses this information to help make its final decisions.

Who Leads Ofcom

Ofcom is led by a Chairman and a Chief Executive.

Current Leaders

Michael Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth became the Chairman of Ofcom on May 1, 2022. He will serve for four years.

The current Chief Executive is Melanie Dawes. She started this role on February 12, 2020.

Past Leaders

The first Chairman of Ofcom was David Currie, Lord Currie of Marylebone. He served from 2002 to 2009. The first Chief Executive was Stephen Carter, Baron Carter of Barnes. He was in charge from 2003 to 2007.

Other important leaders have included Colette Bowe and Dame Patricia Hodgson as Chairmen. Sharon White was Chief Executive from 2015 to 2019.

Key People at Ofcom

Ofcom has a team of important people who help run the organization. These include the Chief Executive, Melanie Dawes, and several board members. These board members help make big decisions for Ofcom.

Ofcom also publishes a list of any outside interests its board members have. This helps keep things fair and open.

Denotes Acting Chairman

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Prime Minister	Monarch (Reign)
1	David Currie, Baron Currie of Marylebone (1946–)	29 December 2003	11 March 2009	Tony Blair	Elizabeth II (1952–2022)
1	David Currie, Baron Currie of Marylebone (1946–)	29 December 2003	11 March 2009	Gordon Brown
2	Colette Bowe (1946–)	11 March 2009	31 March 2014	Gordon Brown
2	Colette Bowe (1946–)	11 March 2009	31 March 2014	David Cameron
3	Patricia Hodgson (1947–)	1 April 2014	31 December 2017	David Cameron
3	Patricia Hodgson (1947–)	1 April 2014	31 December 2017	Theresa May
4	Terence Burns, Baron Burns (1944–)	1 January 2018	31 December 2020	Theresa May
4	Terence Burns, Baron Burns (1944–)	1 January 2018	31 December 2020	Boris Johnson
–	Maggie Carver (1964–)	1 January 2021	30 April 2022
5	Michael Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth (1943–)	1 May 2022	Incumbent
				Liz Truss
				Liz Truss	Charles III (2022–)
				Rishi Sunak	Charles III (2022–)

Ofcom's Committees

Ofcom has many different committees and groups. These groups help the main Ofcom Board make decisions. Some of these include:

The Communications Consumer Panel (CCP), which represents consumers.
The Advisory Committee for Older and Disabled People (ACOD).
Committees for different parts of the UK, like England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The Community Radio Fund Panel, which helps support local radio stations.

Rules Against Hate Speech

Since January 1, 2021, Ofcom has a definition for hate speech. It includes any expression that spreads or encourages hatred. This hatred can be based on things like disability, background, gender, race, or religion. Ofcom works to make sure that TV and radio content does not include harmful hate speech.