Ofcom has published a research paper on red teaming, a type of evaluation method that seeks to find vulnerabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) models. As the new regulator for online safety, Ofcom is exploring how online services could employ safety measures to protect their users from harm posed by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). This method involves ‘attacking’ a model to see if it can generate harmful content. The red team can then seek to fix those vulnerabilities by introducing new and additional safeguards, for example, filters that can block such content. Many of the major model developers now claim to conduct red teaming of some form. However, Ofcom notes there is not yet a clear consensus on its strengths and weaknesses, how it should be conducted, the skills and resources required to do so, and what outcomes it should lead to.

Ofcom has published its review document setting out its approach and timetable to the Telecoms Access Review 2026, which will replace the regulation that applies to fixed telecoms markets, set by the Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review 2021. Since the conclusion of that last review, Openreach and many other companies have continued to invest in new gigabit-capable networks, which are now available to over 78% of the UK, and over 57% can access full-fibre broadband. The regulation underpins broadband and business connections, and the connections used by communications providers, including mobile operators, to support their services. The review seeks to ensure that the UK’s broadband infrastructure is fit for the future and will aim to set the right environment to promote competition and investment in gigabit-capable broadband, to deliver better services and more choice to consumers. Ofcom expects to publish its main consultation on proposals for changes to regulation in early 2025, with a view to publishing its final decisions in early 2026.

Ofcom has published a review of its market-based approach to mobile spectrum management as a response to the government's request. The review looked at the potential alternatives and international experience in issuing and charging for mobile spectrum, Ofcom's past Annual Licence Fee (ALFs) decisions and historical spectrum trades alongside responses to the consultations on these topics. The review also considered emerging approaches in issuing and charging for spectrum by way of third party international spectrum research and information from the mobile operators and their advisors.

Ofcom has published a statement outlining changes to the listed events regime, as required under the Media Act 2024. The statement includes its revised Code on listed and designated events and also includes Ofcom's decisions on how key terms such as 'live coverage', 'adequate live coverage', and 'adequate alternative coverage' will be defined in Regulations, and a draft version of those Regulations has also been published. Ofcom has also published a related consultation on its proposal to remove the conditions relating to listed events included in broadcast licences, which closes on 2 March 2026.

Ofcom has published a statement and launched a further consultation on proposals to enable satellite direct to device (D2D) services in mobile spectrum bands currently licensed to UK mobile network operators (MNOs). The consultation builds on Ofcom’s March 2025 proposals and sets out its decision to proceed with licence variations as the preferred authorisation approach. It is supported by a draft D2D licence variation schedule, draft exemption regulations and the original consultation document. Ofcom invites MNOs intending to offer D2D services to request licence variations specifying the frequencies they plan to use, which will inform the final version of the exemption regulations. Responses are sought by 10 October 2025.

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) has released its final Plan of Work statement for 2025/26, following a consultation period that ran from 4 December 2024 to 29 January 2025. The plan outlines Ofcom's regulatory priorities focused on supporting market competition, innovation and investment in new communications networks. The regulator has also published a complementary three-year Plan setting out its strategic priorities for 2025-2028, addressing challenges from digital transformation and evolving consumer needs across the communications sector.

Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) have published  a joint statement clarifying how organisations should implement age assurance to comply with both the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023)  and UK data protection law, with the aim of protecting children from harmful content and data processing online. The statement requires services likely to be accessed by children to adopt a risk-based and proportionate approach, selecting age assurance methods that are effective in determining whether a user is a child, while addressing risks such as circumvention and avoiding disproportionate impacts on users. Self-declaration alone is considered ineffective. Under OSA 2023, services hosting harmful content must implement highly effective age assurance that meets criteria including technical accuracy, robustness, reliability and fairness, while remaining accessible and workable for users.

Ofcom has published a statement on implementing changes to the listed events regime under the Media Act 2024, setting out its final decisions to make the Listed Events (Coverage) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/751, issue its revised Code on Listed and Designated Events and remove listed events conditions from television broadcast licences. The changes implement amendments introduced by the Media Act 2024 (MA 2024), extending the regime beyond traditional broadcast television to cover public service broadcasters' on-demand players and other internet-based streaming services capable of showing live coverage of listed sporting events.

Ofcom has published its Telecoms Access Review 2026–31 under the Communications Act 2003 and confirmed that British Telecommunications plc (BT)retains significant market power in key UK wholesale fixed telecoms markets. It imposed a new package of access, pricing and transparency obligations for the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. These measures aim to support fibre investment while protecting competition and consumers. Although full-fibre deployment and take-up have increased significantly since 2021, Ofcom found that competition remains insufficient to remove regulation. This reflects Openreach’s incumbency advantages and the limited scale of alternative networks.

Ofcom has published its annual study of children's relationship with the media and online world. A major finding is that overall use of social media sites or apps among all 5–7s has increased year-on-year (30% to 38%). Ofcom prepares to consult before summer 2024 on a comprehensive set of proposals to ensure children are better protected online and plans an additional consultation later in 2024 on how automated tools, including artificial intelligence, can be used to proactively detect illegal content and content most harmful to children. In parallel, Ofcom has published a statement on the principles for media literacy by design, setting out how tech firms can design their platforms in a way that promotes and supports their users’ digital literacy. These best practice principles have been developed with the support and engagement of the academics, platforms and interest groups represented on our external working group.

Ofcom has published a statement to outline its terms of reference for its next review of public service media (PSM) in 2025. The review will have two phases, with the first phase examining how public service broadcasters have delivered for audiences from 2019–­­­­­2023, how other news and entertainment providers have contributed to the PSM provision and how shifts in audience behaviour will impact the future consumption and viability of PSM content. The second phase will build on these changes of audience habits and Ofcom will conduct an assessment on various factors including how it can support audiences to have ready access to content, how PSM content providers can connect with younger audiences and how Ofcom, broadcasters and platforms can mitigate the impact of misinformation and disinformation and support the audiences’ ability to find high-quality information. Ofcom will publish its findings document in the summer of 2025.

Ofcom has released an analysis with an update on the compliance of the UK’s four mobile network operators (MNOs), Three, BT EE, VMO2 and Vodafone, with their Shared Rural Network (SRN) coverage obligations. The analysis found that BT EE, VMO2 and Vodafone, with the exception of Three, have met the 88% UK-wide threshold and their individual thresholds for each UK nation. In addition to failing to meet its 88% UK-wide threshold, Three also failed to meet its individual threshold in Scotland (72%) at the point these obligations fell due and a further update from Ofcom on its progress is expected. Ofcom also found that the coverage increases delivered due to the SRN programme significantly decreased the scale of ‘partial not spots’ which increased the areas where all MNOs provide coverage. These common or ‘full’ coverage areas have increased to 78% of the UK from 66% at the start of 2020. The SRN programme also includes further obligations which are to be met by January 2027.