While reviewing all currently available FTA Sky channels this afternoon (Saturday 6th January) I by chance came across Ch181 Information Tv showing the Ofcom International Conference of all things.
Currently speaking is someone making a very long speech for whom the identity has not yet been shown (I started watching part way through their speech) but I have a feeling it may turn out to be new Ofcom CEO, Ed Richards.
Whoever it is has stated that one of Ofcom's primary roles is to provide consumers with "more keenly priced services". Assuming this person was was Ed Richards then how can he make such statements while he allows almost every business number in the land to move to 084/7 and for consumers to be persistently misled that these are Local/National Rate.
Also how does Mr Richards claim that Ofcom is allowing "keener prices" while de-regulating BT prices to allow them allegedly to compete more effectively only for BT to increase line rental by 5% and the minimum call charge by 20%?
It seems to me that Mr Richards and his colleagues live in cloud cuckoo land and make fine sounding statements while the reality is something quite different.
Now he is saying markets need to be driven by competition. Where exactly does he believe competition comes in to 084/7 prices the cost of which is not announced to callers when they make them and which are persistently misdescribed as local/national rate. And how does competition operate when I am forced to pay BT an ever higher line rental charge because they have a monopoly on being the only telephone line rental supplier where I am guaranteed the ability to route my calls with all PSTN suppliers in the marketplace?