Ofcom proposals to make mobile phone charges ‘clear and fair’

Ofcom could soon stop mobile phone operators from overcharging customers for handsets they have already paid off.

Clear-cut contracts: we’re concerned that many mobile customers are unable to tell how much they’re paying on separate elements of their contract – airtime vs handset. This needs to change, and you can have your say on how: https://t.co/RK9t17pTXu pic.twitter.com/3RuFb6kJxp

— Ofcom (@Ofcom) September 26, 2018

Millions of customers pay for their phone on a “bundle” deal which allows them to pay for the handset over a number of months, the telecoms regulator said, adding that the practice was “unacceptable”.

Though many operators reduce the monthly payment customers make after their contract is up and they have paid off their handset, around 1.5m people end up paying for a phone they already own.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s consumer director, said: “Mobile customers should get the best possible deal. We’re concerned that people are not told, or cannot tell, exactly what they are paying for. So we are extending our work on behalf of mobile customers to ensure that handset charges are clear and fair – not just when they enter a contract but also when their minimum period is up.”