Ofcom criticised for neglecting business ICT needs

Ofcom has been criticised by the Communications Management Association (CMA) for failing to represent the ICT needs of businesses when regulations are drafted.

At the CMA’s 2008 Annual Conference in London, chairman Carolyn Kimber, said that Ofcom was focused on ensuring competition and choice for the benefit of consumers, but didn’t address the need of businesses for competition and choice in mobile and broadband services.

Kimber emphasised the importance of competitive business ICT services in attracting international investment from overseas companies, and said that Ofcom failed to take this seriously.

Kimber also criticised Ofcom’s proposal to de-regulate broadband wholesale markets, and the failure of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to call for cheap roaming rates for business users.

According to Ofcom, the organisation is committed to business users, and perception of its role is distorted by the media’s tendency to overemphasise its involvement in consumer issues, rather than business issues.