February 25, 2019

In December 2018 (as reported in N2K), Ofcom published its proposed 2019/20 Annual Plan for consultation. ISPA responded to the consultation, commenting that it is “disappointed that a number of important areas are completely overlooked in the proposed Annual Plan”.

ISPA believes that it should be a priority for Ofcom to address the following points in its revised Annual Plan:

• Ofcom should consider the business broadband market more thoroughly to develop a more well-rounded understanding of customers, their needs and the forces driving behaviour in this market. To do this effectively Ofcom should take steps to ensure that business connectivity is fully captured in its reporting;
• measures to protect vulnerable customers should be targeted to benefit the section of the market they are intended to protect. This is closely linked to the need for consistency in the scope of definitions with reference to the business market, ISPA says. The level of protection needed by a vulnerable consumer and a business differ greatly, and Ofcom should target these measures appropriately;
• Ofcom should consider in more detail how it can support the industry in adopting measures to facilitate infrastructure switching; and
• Ofcom should provide greater clarification of its role in cyber security regulation as a Competent Authority in the NIS Directive, and on its plans for regulating the industry post-Brexit.

ISPA said that it is “confident that these sticking points can be easily resolved”, and it looks forward to working further with Ofcom to ensure that these changes are reflected in the Annual Plan. To read ISPA’s press release in full, click here.