Ofcom today confirmed that it will allocate a new memorable three-digit phone number – 111 – for NHS non-emergency healthcare services. This will enable the Department of Health to introduce the service to make it easier for patients to access healthcare in their local area.
The statement can be found here: New 111 Non-Emergency Number
Ofcom today published its annual Consumer Experience report which looks at the overall experience of consumers in the communications market and shows that consumers are finding new ways to save money on their phone, broadband and pay TV services.
Ofcom also published its first Business Consumer Experience report which explores the take-up and use of services by UK businesses and their views about landline, mobile and internet services. The research showed that telecommunications services are becoming more important to UK businesses with communicating on the move vital for many firms.
Ofcom is addressing the concerns raised in both the Consumer Experience and the Business Consumer Experience in its draft annual plan, also published today. The plan sets out nine priority areas where it wants to make significant progress over the coming year, including making progress on mobile and broadband not-spots.
The Consumer Experience and Business Consumer Experience reports can be found here: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/tce/
The draft annual plan can be found here: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/draftannplan1011/
After the successful release of our new SMS Services we are proud to announce that TTNC is releasing a new Call Blocking Service further expanding our array of Intelligence Network Solutions.
Call Blocking
Call Blocking will enable users to block incoming calls to their numbers from specific callers or from groups such as Withheld or 0845 numbers. We even show you the numbers for the last 10 callers to your number so you can easily block a nuisance caller as soon as they ring.
Call Blocking comes in two packages;
How to order Call Blocking
Call Blocking can be purchased through the Novero Platform. Simply log in with your details, select the number you wish to add Call Blocking for, select “Add Service” from the left hand menu and proceed with the transaction.
Call Blocking can be configured using our Novero Platform™ which all of our customers are given access to in order to manage their number 24 hours a day.
Read more: Call Blocking Service
This month’s update covers:
Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator Update
The independent Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator (OTA2) today published its update for November 2009. This shows that at the end of November there were 6.26 million unbundled lines and 6.13 million Wholesale Line Rental lines. The number of telephone numbers using Carrier Pre-Select was 3.80 million.
The update can be found here: http://www.offta.org.uk/
Updated version of Reference Parameters for Digital Terrestrial Television Transmissions in the UK
Ofcom has published an updated version of the Reference Parameters for Digital Terrestrial Television Transmissions in the United Kingdom which sets out the technical parameters that digital terrestrial television services are permitted to use. The document has been revised to include specifications for high definition television services in advance of their launch later this year.
Consultation: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tech/codes_guidance/dttt_uk.pdf
Conserving geographic numbers
Ofcom published a consultation on conserving geographic telephone numbers by proposing to reduce the size of number blocks allocated from 10,000 to 1,000 in an additional 336 areas of the UK. This is to ensure the best use is made of the UK’s telephone numbers.
The consultation can be found here: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/conserve/
BT exemption request – supply of BT Basic in Ebbsfleet
This month Ofcom published a statement giving consent to BT to discount calls and connection charges to 300 BT Basic customers in Ebbsfleet, Kent where BT is piloting fixed telephone services using fibre-based technology. This will be permitted from 31 December 2009 to 31 December 2011.
The statement can be found at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/bt_exemption_ebbsfleet/statement/
Media Literacy e-Bulletin
This month’s Media Literacy e-Bulletin features news on the Get Safe Online Summit and NIACE’s conference on digital participation. It also includes information on anti-bullying resources and safety advice for online shoppers. The media literacy e-Bulletin can be found here:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice/media_literacy/medlitpub/bulletins/issue27/
Radio licensing update
The Monthly Update provides information about Ofcom’s broadcast radio licensing activity, including details of commercial radio licence re-advertisements, changes to the formats of stations, and community radio licence awards.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/rbupdates/update1109/
TV licensing update
The latest information about Ofcom’s broadcast TV licensing activity, including details of new licences issued and changes to existing licences, can be found here:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tvlicensing/tvupdates/monthly/200911
CRR – Office of the Adjudicator
The Office of the Adjudicator (CRR) Periodic Report is now available on the website: http://www.adjudicator-crr.org.uk
Exemption to BT Undertakings – flooding in Cumbria
This month Ofcom published letters in relation to exempting BT from certain aspects of the BT Undertakings. This follows the emergency work carried out by BT after the floods in Cumbria.
Ofcom Response (pdf)
BT Letter (pdf)
Corrections to Charge controls for Wholesale Line Rental and related services statement and consultation
Ofcom published details of small corrections to the statement and consultation Charge controls for Wholesale Line Rental and related services published on 26 October 2009.
Details of the corrections can be found at:
