Ofcom has published qualitative research which explores audiences’ comprehension of news and current affairs content and their expectations of due impartiality when politicians are presenting. The audience feedback maintains the broad design of current due impartiality rules under the Broadcasting Code.

Ofcom has published a statement of reasons confirming that, when making a prospective decision to place a user-to-user, search or combined service on the register of categorised services under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023), it will not carry out an assessment of the likely impact of implementing its proposed decisions. Ofcom states that this is considered unnecessary in light of the fact that its decisions for categorisation are constrained by, and flow from legislation which requires them to intervene in a particular way.

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has published a consultation on proposed revisions to its General Procedures for investigating breaches of broadcast licences. The consultation, running from 3 December 2024 to 25 February 2025, aims to update procedures last revised in 2017 to reflect changes in the regulatory landscape and increased caseload. Key proposals include publishing a new administrative priorities framework, clarifying the approach to sharing complaint information with broadcasters, ceasing direct communication of assessment outcomes to complainants, and introducing a time limit for lodging complaints. These changes are intended to streamline the investigative process and ensure the procedures remain fit for purpose in the evolving broadcasting environment.

Ofcom has published a consultation, proposing to update the Calling Line Identification Guidance in order to increase phone providers’ responsibility to identify and block scam calls. Scam callers are currently able to connect calls to UK users while calling from abroad by using a UK geographic or non-geographic telephone number as a Presentation Number. The proposed updated guidance would put a greater expectation on phone providers to block these calls. The deadline for response is 28 March 2024. Ofcom has also opened an enforcement programme into phone and text scams to assess what is being done by companies within the sector and how the General Conditions of Entitlement and industry guidance are being applied. The programme aims to ensure telecoms providers follow Ofcom's rules and industry guidance, and support best practice in relation to the use of phone numbers. Ofcom expects the programme to run for 12-18 months.

Ofcom has published a statement setting out its final decisions on regulating the wholesale call termination markets for landline, mobile and 070 calls for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. It has also concluded its review of the End-to-End Connectivity Condition. Ofcom has decided to continue regulating call termination services, maintaining caps on wholesale charges for terminating calls to UK landlines, mobiles and 070 numbers, with adjustments to allow for inflation from 1 June 2026 and further annual inflation adjustments from 1 April 2027. In addition, Ofcom will update reciprocity rules for international calls to give UK providers greater pricing flexibility.

Ofcom has issued further information regarding the award of licences to authorise the use of spectrum in ‘high density areas’ in the 25.1–27.5 GHz and the 40.5–43.5 GHz frequency bands (together the ‘mmWave bands’). It has published the text of the final draft of the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Award) Regulations 2025, which set out the auction process which will invite bidders to bid for wireless telegraphy licences in the mmWave bands. The draft Regulations are due to become law in early 2025. In addition, an Information Memorandum setting out information for parties considering bidding in the auction, a process guidance to potential applicants and bidders, and details of the geographical boundaries of the high density areas authorised by the licences have been published.

Ofcom has published draft amendments to the Protection of Children Code of Practice for user-to-user services, prepared under section 41 of the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023). The amendments describe measures that user-to-user services may adopt to fulfil their child safety duties under the OSA 2023. The draft amendments were submitted to the Secretary of State in accordance with section 43(2) of the OSA 2023.

Ofcom has published an Economics Discussion Paper evaluating the impact of Twitch’s changes to its content classification labelling, which came into effect in June 2023. The evaluation found that the accuracy of content labelling has increased significantly as content creators are now required to apply a label if their streams contain certain themes, or are penalised if they fail to do so. According to Ofcom’s analysis, the mislabelling of streams as mature has decreased, however, the labelling rules did not materially alter the type of content produced by creators or change viewer behaviour in any material way.

Ofcom has published the final Protection of Children Codes of Practice and Guidance under the Online Safety Act 2023, setting out over 40 measures for tech firms to protect children online. The Codes, laid before Parliament for approval, require implementation by 25 July 2025. Key requirements include effective age verification, content filtering algorithms, swift harmful content removal, and improved reporting mechanisms. Non-compliance may result in fines or court orders blocking UK access. Companies must complete risk assessments by 24 July 2025 before implementing required safety measures.

Ofcom has published the final regulations for the authorisation of satellite Direct to Device (D2D) services, the Wireless Telegraphy (Direct to Device Satellite Communications) (Exemption) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/139, which create a licence exemption permitting mobile handsets and other SIM-enabled devices to connect lawfully to authorised satellite D2D services. The regulations come into force on 25 February 2026.

Ofcom has published its final assessment of Openreach’s proposed commercial offers for Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) and Ethernet wholesale services, following its consultation in July 2026. It has directed Openreach to withdraw the Incremental New to Openreach Customer Offer by 30 September 2026. Ofcom found that the offer’s targeted discounts would result in prices that are not fair and reasonable because they may leave insufficient margin for a reasonably efficient rival network to recover its costs. It concluded that the offer could harm long-term network competition. Ofcom has decided not to intervene in Openreach’s other notified offers, including the Geographic Incremental New to Openreach Customer Offer, Incremental Ethernet Net Demand Offer, Frontbook ARPU Share Offer, Box Swap Offer and expansion of the Equinox offer area. It found that these offers did not raise concerns under the relevant pricing, geographic discrimination or conditional terms requirements that warranted intervention.

Ofcom has published its final guidance on how local analogue commercial radio licensees may comply with new local news and information requirements, alongside a statement implementing those requirements under the Media Act 2024 (MA 2024). It explains that the MA 2024 introduces a new duty requiring Ofcom to include appropriate conditions in licences to secure the regular broadcast of local news and information, including ‘locally-gathered’ news, and to consult on and publish guidance on how licensees may comply.