Investigation into Tismi’s compliance with its obligations under the General Conditions of Entitlement (GCs)

Ofcom has today opened an investigation into Tismi’s compliance with its obligations under the General Conditions of Entitlement (GCs). 

The investigation relates to concerns that numbers Ofcom has allocated to Tismi are/were being misused, including to facilitate scams. This has given us concerns as to whether Tismi is complying with its obligations, specifically:  

• GC B1.6 which states that “where Telephone Numbers have been Allocated to the Communications Provider, that provider shall secure that such Telephone Numbers are Adopted or otherwise used effectively and efficiently”;

• GC B1.8 which states that “the Communications Provider shall take all reasonably practicable steps to secure that its Customers, in using Telephone Numbers, comply (where applicable) with the provisions of [GC B1], the provisions of the National Telephone Numbering Plan and the Non-provider Numbering Condition”; and:

• GC B1.9(c) which states that “the Communications Provider shall not transfer use of Telephone Numbers from the National Telephone Numbering Plan unless… the Telephone Numbers are Adopted or otherwise used effectively and efficiently”.

We also have some information that gives us concern as to whether numbers are being used in accordance with the National Telephone Numbering Plan and therefore shall also investigate whether Tismi is complying with obligations under:

• GC B1.4 which states that a “Communications Provider may only use (or, where specified, Adopt) a Telephone Number listed in Part C of the National Telephone Numbering Plan where such use or Adoption is in accordance with the designation attributed to that Telephone Number”; and

• GC B1.9(b) which states that “the Communications Provider shall not transfer use of Telephone Numbers from the National Telephone Numbering Plan unless… the Telephone Numbers are used in accordance with the National Telephone Numbering Plan”;

This investigation will seek to establish the facts surrounding this matter and examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that Tismi is contravening, or has contravened, the above GCs.

We will gather further information and publish an update to our investigation in due course.