Today’s DT highlights a major problem with Ofcom’s consultation process. A large number of businesses and individuals don’t actually know that the regulator exists or what its role is.

There are serious questions for the Ofcom Consumer Panel here, as the article states, “Of the 79 submissions made to phase one of the [Strategic] review [of Telecoms], none was made by a business using telecoms services.”

Ofcom does do significant amounts of research outside of the formal written response process and Philip Rutnam, the regulator’s ‘Consultation Champion’ told me recently they are confident that they always get a wide range of consumer views before making a decision.

In addition, I think there is a genuine commitment inside Ofcom to promoting the regulator’s role and position. And both Ofcom’s Communications Unit and The Ofcom Consumer Panel have made efforts to ensure as many people as possible understand and respond to consultation documents - the Plain English guides are a case in point.

But as this survey highlights, current efforts still don’t seem to be working. Maybe more funds are required (perhaps out of the salary budgets) to promote the organisation further and wider. Of course, you could also argue that it isn’t until people have a problem that they find out where to seek help. Still, I believe the survey and article makes a valid point.

DT:

“Ofcom, the communications regulator, has failed to make clear what its role is despite employing an army of handsomely paid communications experts.

As the watchdog yesterday unveiled the results of its sweeping review of the telecoms industry, separate findings showed that just one in 10 small and medium businesses actually knows that it regulates the sector.

When asked by phone company Viatel who the telecoms regulator was, half of the 200 respondents had absolutely no idea, while more than a third said Oftel, Ofcom’s predecessor, which has been defunct for almost a year. Around 5pc plumped for BT.

Two-thirds of businesses surveyed were completely unaware of Ofcom’s strategic review, and of the 79 submissions made to phase one of the review, none was made by a business using telecoms services.

Speaking yesterday from Ofcom’s glass-fronted headquarters on the River Thames, Ed Knight, one of its well-paid PR experts, said: “We work very hard to run a full public consulation on all the key areas of public policy. We will continue to consult on all areas as widely as we possibly can.”

Ofcom was formed by the merger of Oftel, the Radio Communications Agency, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Radio Authority and the Independent Television Commission. It has cost �36m extra to run in its first year, largely because of the costs of merger. Around 70pc of that extra cost is being borne by the taxpayer. Ofcom employs 880 staff, of whom 28 are paid more than �100,000.”