UK Act of Parliament 2003 United Kingdom

Communications Act 2003

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At a glance

Enforced by

CMA, Ofcom, UK Government, BBFC

What's here

158 compliance obligations, 20 practical guides across 3 topics · 4 journeys

Penalty landscape

18 of 158 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 15 carry different penalties and 125 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 66
  • Trader 3
  • Operator 2
  • Director or Officer 2
  • Licence Holder 1

Plus 84 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

3 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

15 guides

Mentioned in related content

2 guides
View all 20 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Traders also bound by 219 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Operators also bound by 125 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Licence Holders also bound by 50 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1 — Functions of

s.011

Duties to promote media literacy

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must promote media literacy and issue guidance for service providers Statutory regulator
s.011

Regulated services: media literacy strategy and media literacy statement

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must publish a media literacy strategy and annual progress statements Statutory regulator
s.016

Consumer consultation

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must consult with consumers and maintain a Consumer Panel Statutory regulator
s.025

Information requested by EU bodies

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must notify businesses when their data is shared with EU bodies Statutory regulator
Browse 12 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.002

Statement of strategic priorities

s.002

Duties of OFCOM in relation to strategic priorities

s.024

Provision of information before publication

s.024

Provision of information to assist in formulation of policy

s.028

International recognition of satellite frequency assignments: power to charge fees

Part 2 — Networks, services and the radio spectrum

s.048

Delivery of copies of notifications etc. in respect of section 45 conditions

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must send copies of network condition notifications to the Secretary of State Statutory regulator
s.049

Delivery of copies of notifications etc. in respect of directions, approvals and consents

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must receive copies of regulatory notifications and consents Crown / Minister / Government department
s.056

Conditions for limitations on allocation of telephone numbers

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must specify transfer rules and justify time limits for phone numbers Statutory regulator
s.064

Must-carry obligations

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom may impose must-carry obligations on TV network providers Statutory regulator
s.072

Broadband download speeds: duty to give direction under section 72A

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must trigger a review of minimum broadband speeds Crown / Minister / Government department
s.072

Review of compliance costs: social tariff conditions

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must review and audit the costs of providing social tariffs Statutory regulator
s.072

Report on sharing mechanism: social tariff obligations

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must publish annual reports on social tariff sharing schemes Statutory regulator
s.084

Timing of services market identifications and determinations

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must review services markets and market power every 5 years Statutory regulator
s.086

Cases where review required

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must review market power before setting or changing service conditions Statutory regulator
s.089

Functional separation conditions: matters to be considered by OFCOM

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must evaluate specific impacts before imposing functional separation Statutory regulator
s.089

Obligation to notify OFCOM of voluntary separation

  • Notify Ofcom if you plan to transfer local access network assets Any Person
s.093

Modification of commitments

  • You may propose changes to your formal communications commitments Any Person
s.096

Notification of contravention of condition other than SMP apparatus condition

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must notify businesses of suspected rule breaches Statutory regulator
s.096

Enforcement of notification under section 96A

Unlimited fine
  • Comply with Ofcom confirmation decisions and requirements Any Person
s.100

Suspending service provision for breach of SMP services condition

Amended 10 times
s.105

Duty to take security measures

Amended 3 times
  • Secure your public electronic communications network or service Any Person
s.105

Duty to take specified measures in response to security compromise

Amended 3 times
s.105

Codes of practice about security measures etc

Amended 3 times
s.105

Issuing codes of practice about security measures

Amended 3 times
s.105

Effects of codes of practice about security measures

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom and courts must consider security codes of practice in legal matters Statutory regulator
s.105

Duty to inform OFCOM of security compromise

Amended 3 times
s.105

Powers of OFCOM to inform others of security compromise

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom may inform the public and direct providers during security compromises Statutory regulator
s.105

General duty of OFCOM to ensure compliance with security duties

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must ensure telecoms providers meet security duties Statutory regulator
s.105

Power of OFCOM to assess compliance with security duties

Amended 3 times
s.105

Power of OFCOM to give assessment notices

Amended 3 times
s.105

Assessment notices: information about entering premises

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must report how often they enter business premises Statutory regulator
s.105

Enforcement of security duties

Amended 3 times
s.105

Enforcement of security duties: proposal for interim steps

Amended 3 times
s.105

Statement of policy on ensuring compliance with security duties

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must publish its policy on enforcing telecoms security duties Statutory regulator
s.105

Urgent enforcement direction

Amended 3 times
s.110

Penalties for contravention of code restrictions

Amended 4 times
s.111

Power to deal with urgent cases

Amended 6 times
s.111

Confirmation of direction under section 111A

Amended 6 times
s.120

Procedure for setting, modifying and revoking premium rate services conditions

Amended 4 times
s.124

Obligation to notify subscribers of copyright infringement reports

Amended 1 time
  • Notify customers of alleged copyright infringements Operator
s.124

Obligation to provide copyright infringement lists to copyright owners

Amended 1 time
  • Provide copyright infringement lists to copyright owners upon request Operator
s.124

Initial obligations code by OFCOM in the absence of an approved code

Amended 1 time
s.124

Contents of initial obligations code

Amended 1 time
s.124

Obligations to limit internet access: assessment and preparation

Amended 1 time
s.124

Obligations to limit internet access

Amended 1 time
s.124

Contents of code about obligations to limit internet access

Amended 1 time
s.124

Enforcement of obligations

Amended 1 time
s.124

Sharing of costs

Amended 1 time
s.124

Appointment of manager of internet domain registry

Amended 1 time
s.124

Functions of manager etc

Amended 1 time
s.124

Mobile phone providers' duty to enable billing limits to be applied

Fine up to £250,000 Amended 1 time
  • Enable customer billing limits on mobile phone contracts Any Person
s.124

Enforcement of duty to enable billing limits to be applied

Fine up to £2,000,000 Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must enforce mobile billing limit requirements and may impose fines Statutory regulator
s.124

Rights of end-users in relation to contract termination

Amended 1 time
s.134

OFCOM reports on infrastructure etc

Amended 3 times
s.134

Additional OFCOM reports on infrastructure etc

Amended 3 times
s.134

Publication of information required for purpose of preparing reports

Amended 3 times
s.134

Networks and services matters

Amended 3 times
s.134

OFCOM reports on internet domain names

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must report on internet domain name registration and misuse Statutory regulator
s.137

Information required from communications providers

Amended 7 times
s.137

Section 137A: confidential matters

Amended 7 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must protect confidential business and private information Statutory regulator
s.139

Enforcement of notification under section 138

Amended 9 times
  • Comply with Ofcom enforcement decisions and penalties Any Person
s.139

Power to deal with urgent cases

Amended 9 times
s.139

Confirmation of direction under section 139B

Amended 9 times
s.146

Rights of third parties to use information without charge

Amended 1 time
s.185

Power of OFCOM to invite parties to refer dispute

Amended 6 times
s.194

Disposal of appeals under section 192 (other than against certain decisions of Secretary of State)

Unlimited fine Amended 2 times
  • Follow the Tribunal's direction and reconsider your decision Any Person
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Tribunal must decide appeals using judicial review principles Tribunal / Court
Browse 39 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.035

Penalties for contravention of section 33

s.048

Consultation for section 45 conditions

s.049

Consultation for directions, approvals and consents

s.049

EU consultation for directions, approvals and consents

s.072

Review of universal service order

s.072

Social tariff conditions: procedure

s.072

Consultation by OFCOM on proposed recommendation

s.072

Social tariff conditions: general

s.072

Sharing of burden of social tariff obligations

s.074

Access-related conditions in certain cases involving use of radio spectrum

s.076

Information about electronic communications apparatus available for shared use

s.080

Consultation for market identifications and market power determinations

s.089

Functional separation

s.093

Giving effect to commitments decision

Part 3 — Television and Radio Services ETC

s.198

C4C's functions in relation to media content

Amended 8 times
s.198

Statements of media content policy and commissioning policy

Amended 8 times
s.198

Penalties for failure to provide information

Amended 8 times
s.204

S4C’s principal powers and public service remit

Amended 3 times
s.204

Restrictions on S4C’s powers

Amended 3 times
  • Get written approval before providing TV programmes or for-profit activities Director or Officer
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must approve S4C's commercial and TV activities Crown / Minister / Government department
s.204

Publication of approvals under section 204B

Amended 3 times
s.211

Regulated electronic programme guides

Amended 9 times
s.211

Exempt foreign services

Amended 9 times
s.216

Renewal of Channel 3 licences: determination of licence areas

Amended 10 times
s.218

Duty to report on public teletext service

Unlimited fine Amended 5 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must report on the public teletext service Statutory regulator
s.258

Small-scale radio multiplex services

Amended 1 time
s.271

Remedying failure by C4C to perform media content duties

Amended 4 times
s.311

Report on electronic programme guides and public service channels

Amended 1 time
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must report on public service channels and TV guide information Statutory regulator
s.321

Objectives for advertisements: less healthy food and drink

Amended 11 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must prohibit TV ads for less healthy food and drink before 9.00 pm Statutory regulator
s.329

Proscription orders

Amended 3 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must notify the Secretary of State of unacceptable foreign services Statutory regulator
s.335

Co-operation with other parties to European Convention on Transfrontier Television

Amended 4 times
s.335

Maintenance of list of providers

Amended 4 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must maintain and publish a list of regulated TV service providers Statutory regulator
s.338

Penalties for failure to provide information

Fine up to £250,000 Amended 2 times
  • Fail to comply with an Ofcom information notice Any Person
s.359

Power of the Secretary of State to give financial assistance for radio

Amended 1 time

Part 3A — Prominence on television selection services

s.362

Designation of internet programme services

Amended 20 times
s.362

Notifications in relation to designated internet programme services

Amended 20 times
  • Notify Ofcom if your internet program service's ownership changes Any Person
s.362

Meaning of “television selection service”

Amended 20 times
s.362

Meaning of “regulated television selection service”

Amended 20 times
s.362

Advice from OFCOM

Amended 20 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must advise the Secretary of State on regulating TV selection services Statutory regulator
s.362

Notification by providers of television selection services

Amended 20 times
  • Notify Ofcom if you provide or stop providing a TV selection service Any Person
s.362

Must-carry obligations

Unlimited fine Amended 20 times
  • Include designated internet programme services on your TV selection service Any Person
s.362

Guidance as regards agreement objectives

Amended 20 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must publish guidance for internet programme and TV selection services Statutory regulator
s.362

Meaning of “the agreement objectives”

Amended 20 times
s.362

Duties relating to a designated internet programme service

Amended 20 times
  • Promote and make content discoverable on your internet programme service Any Person
s.362

Duties relating to a regulated television selection service

Amended 20 times
  • Ensure prominence for designated TV services and accessibility for disabled users Any Person
s.362

Code of practice

Amended 20 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must issue and maintain a code of practice for TV selection services Statutory regulator
s.362

Effects of the code of practice

Amended 20 times
  • Comply with the Code of Practice for regulated TV selection services Any Person
s.362

Issuing a code of practice

Amended 20 times
s.362

Power to require information

Amended 20 times
s.362

References of disputes to OFCOM

Amended 20 times
s.362

Interim measures

Amended 20 times
s.362

Procedure for resolving disputes

Amended 20 times
s.362

Resolution of referred disputes

Amended 20 times
s.362

Effect of referrals on legal proceedings

Amended 20 times
s.362

Confirmation decisions: general

Amended 20 times

Part 3B — Regulation of radio selection services

s.362

Meaning of “designated radio selection service”

Amended 20 times
s.362

Advice from OFCOM

Amended 20 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must provide and publish advice on radio selection services Statutory regulator
s.362

Revocation of designation of radio selection service

Amended 20 times
s.362

List of designated radio selection services etc

Amended 20 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must maintain a public list of designated radio selection services Statutory regulator
s.362

Meaning of “internet radio service”

Amended 20 times
s.362

Meaning of “relevant internet radio service”

Amended 20 times
s.362

Sections 362BF and 362BG : power to amend

Amended 20 times
s.362

Access to relevant internet radio services

Amended 20 times
  • Ensure internet radio services are accessible and play without unauthorized ads Any Person
s.362

Further provision about access to relevant internet radio services

Amended 20 times
  • Publish a compliance statement for internet radio selection services Any Person
s.362

Effects of the code of practice

Amended 20 times
  • Follow the code of practice to ensure compliance for radio selection services Any Person
s.362

Issuing a code of practice

Amended 20 times
s.362

Complaints procedures

Amended 20 times
  • Establish and maintain a complaints procedure for radio station providers Any Person
s.362

Review by OFCOM

Amended 20 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must review and publish reports on radio selection service regulation Statutory regulator
s.362

Power to require information

Amended 20 times
s.362

Provisional notices of contravention

Amended 20 times
s.362

Confirmation decisions: general

Amended 20 times
s.362

Penalty for failure to comply with confirmation decision

Amended 20 times
s.362

Fees

Amended 20 times
s.362

Non-payment of fee

Amended 20 times
s.362

Information to be included in a notice under section 362BY

Amended 20 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must provide specific details in penalty notices for unpaid fees Statutory regulator

Part 4 — Licensing of TV reception

s.364

TV licences

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • BBC must issue and manage TV licences according to official rules Statutory regulator
s.365

TV licence fee concessions by reference to age

Amended 10 times

Part 4A — ON-DEMAND PROGRAMME SERVICES

s.368

Meaning of “on-demand programme service”

Amended 2 times
s.368

Meaning of non-UK on-demand programme service

Amended 2 times
s.368

Overview of Part 4A

Amended 2 times
s.368

Advance notification to appropriate regulatory authority

Amended 2 times
s.368

Code on accessibility for people with disabilities

Amended 2 times
s.368

Quota for European works

Amended 2 times
  • Include at least 30% European works in your on-demand service Any Person
s.368

Harmful material

Unlimited fine Amended 2 times
  • Prevent harmful or restricted material on on-demand services Any Person
s.368

Advertising: less healthy food and drink

Amended 2 times
  • Do not advertise less healthy food or drink before 9.00 pm Any Person
s.368

Prohibition of product placement and exceptions

Amended 2 times
s.368

Meaning of Tier 1 service

Amended 2 times
s.368

Power to specify Tier 1 services etc

Amended 2 times
s.368

Lists of Tier 1 providers

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must maintain and publish a list of Tier 1 providers Statutory regulator
s.368

Application etc of Chapter 2 to certain Tier 1 services

Amended 2 times
s.368

Standards code for Tier 1 services

Amended 2 times
s.368

Duties of Tier 1 providers to comply with Tier 1 standards code

Amended 2 times
  • Comply with the Tier 1 standards code for on-demand services Any Person
s.368

Complaints relating to Tier 1 standards code

Amended 2 times
  • Establish procedures for handling standards code complaints Any Person
s.368

Power to modify requirements in section 368HL

Amended 2 times
s.368

Tier 1 accessibility code: procedural requirements

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must consult interest groups before publishing accessibility codes Statutory regulator
s.368

Duty to comply with Tier 1 accessibility code

Fine up to £250,000 Amended 2 times
  • Comply with the Tier 1 accessibility code for video services Any Person
s.368

Reports to Secretary of State

Amended 2 times
s.368

Enforcement of service providers’ principal duties

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom may issue enforcement notices and fines for service failures Statutory regulator
s.368

Enforcement of section 368E(4)

Amended 2 times
s.368

Financial penalties

Amended 2 times
s.368

Suspension or restriction of service for contraventions or failures

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom must notify and give providers a chance to fix serious service breaches Statutory regulator
s.368

Suspension or restriction of service for inciting crime or disorder

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Ofcom may suspend or restrict services inciting crime or disorder Statutory regulator
s.368

Supplementary provision about directions

Amended 2 times
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Regulators must specify details and notice periods for service directions Statutory regulator
s.368

Enforcement of directions under section 368K or 368L

Unlimited fine Amended 2 times
  • Provide on‑demand service while suspended by Ofcom direction Any Person
  • Provide Tier 1 on‑demand service while suspended Any Person
s.368

Power to require information

Amended 2 times
s.368

Application of Part 4A in relation to the BBC

Amended 2 times
s.368

Application of Part 4A in relation to the Welsh Authority

Amended 2 times

Part 4B — VIDEO-SHARING PLATFORM SERVICES

s.368

The appropriate regulatory authority

Amended 2 times
s.368

Advance notification to appropriate regulatory authority

Amended 2 times
s.368

Duties of the appropriate regulatory authority

Amended 2 times
s.368

Duties of service providers

Amended 2 times
s.368

Financial penalties

Unlimited fine Amended 2 times
  • Fail to comply with communications regulatory duties Any Person

Part 4C — Online advertising of less healthy food and drink

No sections of this Part have been ingested yet.

Part 5 — Competition in communications markets

Part 6 — Miscellaneous and Supplemental

s.392

Amount of penalties etc

Amended 3 times

Schedules

Browse 12 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch003a

The electronic communications code

s.sch011a

Restrictions on product placement

s.sch016a

Penalties imposed by OFCOM under Parts 3A and 3B

s.sch016b

Parts 3A and 3B: liability of parent entities etc

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

CMA

Primary

Competition and Markets Authority

Promotes competitive markets and tackles unfair behaviour. Investigates mergers, enforces competition law, and has specific digital markets powers. Digital Markets Unit (DMU) …

Ofcom

Office of Communications

Regulates telecoms, TV, radio, video-on-demand, postal services, and online safety. Issues licences for telecoms providers, manages spectrum. Now enforces Online Safety Act …

UK Government

UK Government (Cross-Departmental)

Generic publisher code for cross-departmental government publications that don't map to a specific regulator or department. Used for guidance that spans multiple …

BBFC

British Board of Film Classification

Classifies films, videos, and some video games for age rating. Statutory authority for classifying cinema releases and video works under the Video …

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