Helping consumers benefit from competition in telecommunications : eleventh report of session 2003-04, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

Following on from a National Audit Office report (HCP 768, session 2002-03; ISBN 0102922209) published in July 2003, the Committee's report examines the work of the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) to help consumers benefit from competition in the fixed line telephone market, focusing on its regulatory strategy, activities to combat anti-competitive behaviour and the scope for consumer choice.

Conclusions reached include that, although competition in the market is well established, the scope for consumer choice in practice is being hampered by the lack of consumer information to identify the best deal in terms of supplier, tariff and discount options.

The report recommends that Ofcom, the new telecommunications regulator, should: work with phone companies to develop more standardised and transparent charging structures to enable cost comparisons to be made more easily, undertake research into the information needs of consumers; and actively encourage consumers to switch suppliers and highlight the benefits and risks of switching.