Part 1: Access to Digital Services Section 2: General conditions: switching communications provider
Section 51 of the 2003 Act provides Ofcom with powers to set general conditions that apply to communications providers. In particular, section 51(1)(a) enables Ofcom to set conditions for protecting the interests of end-users of public electronic communications services and subsection (2) provides examples of the purposes for which conditions protecting the interests of end-users may be made. This section amends section 51 by inserting new subsection (2)(i) which makes it explicit that the scope of Ofcom’s powers to set general conditions includes the power to require communications providers to adhere to arrangements and processes to facilitate an end-user changing communications provider on request, including but not limited to gaining-provider led processes.