On 26 March 2017, Ofcom fined BT a record breaking £42 million for irregularities in compensation payments that should have been made to customers of its network arm, Openreach. BT is also required to compensate all the affected customers within 12 months. These compensation payments will
amount to approximately £300 million.
The application of such material financial penalties is unprecedented in UK telecommunications regulation and is indicative of a change in Ofcom’s approach in this area. However, this development arguably follows a broader trend among UK regulators towards regular, substantial and highly publicised applications of their enforcement powers.
Read the full details in our briefing paper.
