Eurobites: Ofcom bans inflation-linked mid-contract price risesEurobites: Ofcom bans inflation-linked mid-contract price rises

Also in today's EMEA regional round-up: Vodafone Business launches ESG reporting tool in Germany, Orange Africa and Middle East publishes CSR report, Lithuania seeks better ways to manage its spectrum.

Tereza Krásová, Associate Editor

July 19, 2024

2 Min Read
Ofcom offices
(Source: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo)
  • UK regulator Ofcom has ruled all UK operators will have to advise customers of any mid-contract price rises upfront in pounds-and-pence terms from January 1, 2025. This will end the practice of inflation-linked price hikes, currently common in the country. While prices will still go up, the increase should be less of a nasty surprise to customers. Most operators happen to use the same inflation-plus-3.9% formula in a practice that became particularly controversial after inflation hit double digits in 2022 amid a broader cost of living crisis. Ofcom has, meanwhile, found that inflation-linked price hikes did not give customers sufficient clarity, with customers understandably unfamiliar with the two inflation indices used. (See also: UK operators cannot clearly explain inflation-plus-3.9% price rises)

  • Vodafone Business has launched an ESG reporting tool in Germany, which it promises will be an all-in-one solution for collecting and analyzing ESG data. It was built in partnership with startup Envoria and targets companies that will newly have to report details of their ESG performance from January 1 to comply with EU legislation. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive was adopted in 2023 to give investors and stakeholders an insight into large companies' and listed SMEs' impact on people and the environment. Think of it as installing a speedometer on the proverbial handbasket.

  • Orange Africa and Middle East is also boasting its ESG credentials, this time through a 2023 corporate social responsibility report, highlighting its inclusion initiatives for young people, women and entrepreneurs. These include teaching digital literacy and offering training for new jobs, as well as job-hunting assistance. The company also said it is active in reforestation activities.

  • Earlier this week, Ukrainian regulators have imposed an obligation on mobile operators to continue providing services for 10 hours during a blackout, compared to the previous four hours, the Kyiv Post reports. New rules are also being imposed on mandatory power backups for different types of mobile and fixed infrastructure, with all basestations to have a power backup by February. Ukraine has been facing widespread power outages because of attacks on its infrastructure by the Russian military.

  • Lithuania's Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) is working on developing a solution for a more efficient use of radio frequencies by 2025. The goal is to create a self-service platform that would allow users to check what spectrum is available to them and complete the necessary administrative steps. RRT hopes this will lead to a more efficient use of the resource.

  • Virgin Media O2 has celebrated the 100,000th gamer to set foot in its Gamepad, which it describes as a "state-of-the-art, dedicated gaming space," located at the O2 in London. Since opening its doors last year, the gaming space has been offering access to the latest kit and games for free. The most played game has been Fortnite, described as a survival and battle-royale game. (Sounds relaxing – Eds.)

Read more about:

Europe

About the Author

Tereza Krásová

Associate Editor, Light Reading

Associate Editor, Light Reading

Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
Join 62,000+ members. Yes it's completely free.

You May Also Like