CGTN had been available on free and pay TV in the U.K. Regulators started looking into the station after receiving a complaint from human rights group Safeguard Defenders that called for an investigation into its ownership. Other contracts may also have cooling-off … In a tweet, Gui’s daughter Angela Gui said, “Finally, five years after first airing a forced confession by my father #GuiMinhai in the UK, Ofcom has revoked CGTN’s license to broadcast. Ofcom has reasonable grounds to believe that Virgin contravened GC 9.3 by: (i) setting and charging customers early termination charges (ETCs) which were too high; (ii) requiring customers moving house to an area within Virgin’s network to sign up to a new fixed term contract or pay ETCs; and. Ofcom protection bans automatic rollover of contracts, and gives the customer the ability to cancel contracts because of price rises or failure to deliver promised broadband speeds. This page concerns data from 2013. If you entered into your mobile phone contract over the phone or online you have 14 days from entering into the contract to cancel, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations . This can be used for any broadband provider, and they do not need to have signed up to any voluntary codes. Replying to @ _abereh. BEIJING — China on Friday threatened to retaliate after British regulators stripped China’s state TV channel of its U.K. broadcasting license, a decision based on technical issues but rooted in complaints about its role in persecuting critics of the ruling Communist Party. New regulations put into effect on 1 March 2019 mean that any customer who is suffering at … That the U.K. now makes an issue of Chinese media’s nature and obstructing CGTN in its broadcasting is purely political manipulation,” he said. China reserves the right to make the necessary response to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese media,” Wang said at a daily briefing. In its decision issued Thursday, Ofcom said it revoked the U.K. license for China Global Television Network, or CGTN, an international English-language satellite news channel, because of a lack of editorial control and links to China’s Communist Party. Keeping people connected across the … For the latest information on protection against mid-contract price rises, see the news release here. Wang said CGTN always adhered to regulations and upheld the principles of “objectivity, impartiality, truthfulness and accuracy in news reporting.”. {* legalAcceptanceAcceptButton *}, {* backButton *} Ofcom plan aims to let you cancel your phone contract early. Ofcom has made it a whole lot easier to cancel your broadband contract early. The provider must notify you of the price increase 30 days in advance, giving you 30 days to cancel. Those relating to changes to contract terms are in Article 20 of the Universal Services Directive 2002/22/EC. The idea of putting a sworn enemy of the BBC in charge of its regulator is bizarre enough. {* createAccountButton *}, You may have created a profile with another. The broadcasting watchdog Ofcom is investigating Sky over concerns that customers’ attempts to cancel their contracts are being ignored. Thank you @SafeguardDefend and everyone else who’s filed complaints.”. ... adding that travel rights remain guaranteed and that the government will introduce subsidiary legislation in the near term. China reserves the right to make the necessary response to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese media," Wang said at a daily briefing. Please confirm the information below before signing up. Contact the company and say you’re cancelling within the allowed 30 days’ notice of a price increase. It said “China reserves the right to take further measures.” The BBC said it stood by its reporting and rejected the “unfounded accusations.”, In his defence of CGTN, Wang said the British knew all along about its ties to China’s ruling party and accused London of double standards in regulating the media. The Guidance would still apply in those circumstances. Consumers and small businesses 1 should be allowed to exit their landline, broadband or mobile contract without penalty if their provider increases the cost of their monthly deal, Ofcom announced today. The Guidance will apply to any increases to the recurring subscription charge. If your provider increases your monthly price beyond what you agreed when you signed up, it should: give you at least one month's notice of the price rise; and. You won’t be able to cancel without a fee if either: you signed up to the contract before 23 January 2014, or. Ofcom said it had launched an investigation into Sky following complaints from customers who claim they are unable to cancel its TV, phone and broadband services. Ofcom has wide-ranging powers across the television, radio, telecoms and postal sectors. The Foreign Ministry initially responded to word of the loss of CGTN’s license with renewed criticism of the BBC, specifically a Jan. 29 report on COVID-19 in China, calling it “typical fake news” and demanding a public apology. Ofcom plan aims to let you cancel your phone contract early. 3. Ofcom is today telling providers how to interpret and apply current telecoms sector rules 2 in relation to price increases during fixed-term contracts. 2. UK independent communications regulator Ofcom has announced that UK mobile phone and landline network providers will have to allow customers to cancel ... if … Virgin has made a number of changes to its procedures, including: {* backButton *} Contract renewal, information provided at point of sales and cancellation rights, are also at the crux of the investigation by Ofcom. And yet, as chair of Ofcom, Dacre would have considerable power over the hated BBC because, since 2017, it has been the Corporation’s first external regulator, and, as such, is responsible for setting the operating framework and licence for its UK services. “China is a socialist country led by the Communist Party. There are reports of people being made to go through hours-long phone calls when they attempt to cancel, while others have been told their cancellation has gone through only to find their subscription is still active. If a provider raises prices and you have a fixed contract taken out after 23rd January 2014, you have a right to cancel mid-contract. Virgin Media could charge you up to £240 to cancel early - your rights explained. Ofcom has, however, considered the possibility of communications providers responding to Ofcom's decision by reducing the call and/or text and/or data allowance included in a customer's monthly subscription price. You have activated your account, please feel free to browse our exclusive contests, videos and content. All rights reserved. From 1 April 2019, the Automatic Compensation Scheme means broadband and landline customers will get money back from their provider when things go wrong, without having to ask for it. any changes to contract terms, pricing or otherwise, must be communicated clearly and transparently to consumers. To address this problem, the Guidance explains how providers should communicate any contract modifications, pricing or otherwise, to consumers. £20/month for 24 months. Get caught up on the day's top stories and videos, along with the weather webcast and what's in store for CityNews Tonight at 11 p.m. and tomorrow on Breakfast Television. Thus the Mail comment column, 22 April, accused Ofcom of ‘shameful sophistry’ and argued that ‘the truth is this body, with its 870 staff and Labour crony chief executive Ed Richards (pay packet £380,000) is the worst kind of bloated quango’ and reminded readers that ‘in opposition Mr Cameron promised that, under the Tories, “Ofcom would be dramatically slimmed down”. Ofcom is also confirming the cancellation rights it expects … Your existing password has not been changed. These measures include ensuring that letters or emails about contract changes should be clearly marked as such, either on the front of the envelope or in the subject header. {* traditionalSignIn_signInButton *}, {* backButton *} The regulator Ofcom fined Virgin Media £7m in 2018 for failing to make its early termination charges clear enough. China reserves the right to make the necessary response to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese media,” Wang said at a daily briefing. General Condition 9.6 requires that communications providers give consumers at least one month's notice of any changes to a contract that are likely to be of ‘material detriment' and allow them to exit that contract without penalty. However, the limitations on the fundamental rights do not seem justified, if one balances the gravity of the interference, i.e. If your current broadband service runs on the Openreach phone network, and you’re switching to another provider that also uses this network, you can follow a ‘one-stop’ switching process. Ofcom’s decision adds to friction between Britain and China, already strained by U.K. efforts to address allegations of human rights abuses against the Uighur minority in Xinjiang and widen residency rights for Hong Kongers. Goods or service isn’t as described: You have been mis-sold, which is a breach of your broadband consumer rights. By Rhona Shennan. Spectrum Licensing. In some circumstances, consumers may also have not been made adequately aware of their right to exit their contract, or of the amount of time they had to exercise this right. Ofcom is today telling providers how to interpret and apply current telecoms sector rules2 in relation to price increases during fixed-term contracts. Embed Tweet. The former producer was a founding partner at Ofcom in 2003 and was responsible for all aspects of content regulation. Wang gave no details on how China would retaliate, but the British Broadcasting Corp., which is only available in some hotels, businesses and residential compounds for foreigners in China, could become a target. It may be: Fixed - this is a single price which is fixed for the entire term of the contract e.g. Ofcom … Communications services are very important to businesses - but are you aware of the rights and protections that are in place to help you? Ofcom's decision follows a consultation on how to give consumers a fairer deal in relation to price increases during fixed-term contracts. Ofcom. OFCOM have launched an investigation into Sky following complaints from customers who have been unable to cancel services even when they're out of contract. Ofcom launched the investigation, which will look at … Ofcom is also confirming the cancellation rights it expects providers to give consumers following price increases. Ofcom said it had launched an investigation into Sky following complaints from customers who claim they are unable to cancel its TV, phone and broadband services. Ofcom won't take action against Channel 4 for 'deepfake' version of Queen's Christmas message. Online-Only Subscriptions. The price you pay each month is likely to be one of the most important factors in your choice of contract. Phone and broadband providers can change the terms of a contract so long as they give you a month's notice. It will apply to any new landline, broadband, and mobile contracts (including in some cases bundled contracts) entered into after this date. Ofcom has also been investigating under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the fairness and transparency of Virgin’s procedures and contract terms that apply to customers moving home. Among the issues he handled was the reform of the rights … We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. Notifications of price increases must also be clear and easy to understand and make customers aware of the nature and likely impact of the contract change. (Companies that use the Openreach network include BT, EE, Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone.) According to Ofcom’s rules and regulations, you can cancel your network provider’s service if you have a persisting technical issue. Update 11 January 2021 – the coronavirus. Under this process, you don’t need to contact your current provider at all. For the latest information on protection against mid-contract price rises, see the news release here.. Consumers and small businesses1 should be allowed to exit their landline, broadband or mobile contract without penalty if their provider increases the cost of their monthly deal, Ofcom announced today. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email. 6. Small businesses are defined as those with fewer than 10 employees. 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However, to make use of this opportunity, you would need to provide concrete evidence. The Guidance addresses this uncertainty and seeks to put consumers in a fairer position. Under the Consumer Protection Act ,you have the right to cancel a contract and have your money returned if one of the following applies to you: The contract has a cooling-off period. Stephen Russell Davies OBE (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include Queer as Folk, The Second Coming, Casanova, the 2005 revival of the BBC One science fiction franchise … What Ofcom should have done was to cap them at a … ; Tiered - where you agree to pay different prices at different times, e.g. NHS bursary and grants for medicine, dentistry and healthcare courses. Rogers Media uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Advertised headline speeds Although the Guidance Ofcom is issuing today does not apply to non-subscription prices, any increases to these prices will still remain subject to Ofcom's General Conditions (including General Condition 9.6) and the relevant consumer legislation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters that British media watchdog Ofcom had acted on “political grounds based on ideological bias, politicizing technical issues, seriously harming the survival of Chinese media and severely interfering with normal exchanges between the two countries.”. You always have a cooling-off period when you sign a contract in your home. Ofcom’s decision adds to friction between Britain and China, already strained by U.K. efforts to address allegations of human rights abuses against the Uighur minority in Xinjiang and widen residency rights for Hong Kongers. Limited exceptions include passing on increases in VAT and any other taxation charge or regulatory levy, imposed by changes in mandatory provisions laid down by Government or regulatory authorities, payment of which is compulsory. “The British side knew this clearly from the first day CGTN broadcasted in the U.K. 18 years ago. https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/guides/help/broadband-consumer-rights It also reflects European rules5 and acknowledges the significance of core subscription prices and price rises to telecoms consumers. Copy link to Tweet. The British side has been well aware of the nature of the Chinese media,” Wang said. For all other licence enquiries and applications please email the Spectrum Licensing Team at spectrum.licensing@ofcom.org.uk. By checking this box, I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of Rogers Media. It has a statutory duty to represent the interests of citizens and consumers by promoting competition and protecting the public from harmful or offensive material. CGTN has been at the forefront of the party’s bid to seize the narrative from Western news media about human rights in China and its aggressive military and diplomatic moves amid a hardening of attitudes toward China in countries from South Korea to Canada. £10 a month for the first 12 months and £15 a month for the second 12 months. Once you’ve contacted your new provider to begin the switching process, both your new provider and old pro… Ofcom regards this as the recurring charge that the customer is contractually obliged to pay for a core package of price inclusive services (such as number of call minutes to certain numbers, text messages and data allowances for mobile customers) for a pre-determined period of time (of no more than two years for consumers). You don’t have to give a reason for cancelling the phone service and should be refunded. 5. Cooling off period: Under Consumer Contracts Regulations you have a right to cancel a broadband contract for free within a minimum 14-day cooling-off period. The UK’s broadcast regulator says it is revoking the licence of Chinese news network CGTN after finding its state-backed ownership structure flouted British law. Enter your email address to get a new one. The guidance outlines how providers should interpret and apply current telecoms sector rules in relation to price increases during fixed-term contracts as well as confirming the cancellation rights it …