The provision of comparable quality of service (“QoS”) Information is beneficial to consumers and Ofcom is committed to ensuring that it is supplied. In September 2004 Ofcom published a statement on providing quality of service information to consumers and a consultation on quality parameters including a Notification and Draft Direction following on from the consultation 'Reporting quality of service information to consumers' published November 2003. Following consideration of the responses to this consultation, Ofcom is making a direction that places a requirement on fixed line Communications Service Providers to report QoS information to consumers. No direction is to be issued in relation to the mobile sector.
Ofcom’s decision in relation to the provision of QoS information for consumers reinforces its commitment to a co-regulatory approach wherever possible. Ofcom will help facilitate the development of two co-regulatory groups tasked with providing this information - one for the fixed-line industry and another for mobile network operators. The mobile co-regulatory group will have a voluntary membership.