Ofcom Consultation on Open Communications - Which? response

Which? response to Ofcom’s Consultation on Open Communications – Enabling people to share data with innovative services.

Summary:

Which? believes that the introduction of Open Communications could help to overcome some of the barriers to engagement in this sector and deliver new services for consumers. We believe that data portability could be an effective solution to address some of the barriers to engagement in this market, such as the lack of confidence in engaging in the telecommunications market and the unjustified fear of higher costs for switching. However, we also believe that there is not a silver bullet to solve all consumers' issues.​​​​​​​​

Which? believes that consumers should always be in control of their data and be aware of how their data is used. Consumers should have the right to opt out from Open Communications services, especially in relation to health and financial data. This measure will be particularly important when it comes to assisting vulnerable consumers, who are among the most concerned when it comes to sharing personal information. 

We believe that Open Communications has the potential to facilitate switching between providers, allowing consumers to save time in comparing offers and gathering information on their contracts. However, we also believe that it should be supported by the introduction of other complementary regulatory interventions aimed at facilitating consumer engagement.

Which? believes that any accreditation system should be compulsory for providers and third party providers alike. Moreover, while we support the idea of the UK having a clear and coordinated approach to the regulation and oversight of Smart Data initiatives, it is important that the specific issues of each sector are taken into account and that they are not sacrificed over cross-platform solutions.