[cma-l] February Newsletter - Communications Consumer Panel

[Jaqui Devereux]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	February Newsletter - Communications Consumer Panel
Date: 	Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:05:57 +0000
From: 	Communications Consumer Panel
<contact at communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk>
To: 	undisclosed-recipients:;



The Communications Consumer Panel has published its latest e-newsletter.
It can be read below or found via the following link:



http://www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk/e_newsletter_February_2009.pdf



CCP_RGBLogo_Pixels

/e-newsletter //February 2009/

/ /

*Welcome*

Welcome to the February 2009 edition of the Communications Consumer
Panel e-newsletter. If you’d like to receive our monthly newsletter and
you’re not on our mailing list, it’s easy to join by going to our
website: *www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk
<http://www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk/> *

* *

*Latest news…*

* *

*No one should miss out on the digital future people tell the Consumer
Panel in a new report*

Consumers and citizens must be at the heart of the Government’s digital
plans and their needs must drive policy-making, the Communications
Consumer Panel says in its new research report.



The Panel’s latest research report, /No one should miss out/, asked
people to tell us how they want digital communications services to
contribute to their lives in the future. They said loudly and clearly
that they must be at the heart of the Government’s plans and their needs
must drive the policy-making.



Communications Consumer Panel Chair Anna Bradley, said: “Up until now no
one has been able to agree on what it is that consumers and citizens
want and how this should shape the future of the communications sector.
Our research is moving the debate forward and helping the Consumer Panel
to develop evidence-based recommendations to Government.”

* *

The Consumer Panel has been feeding this research into the Government’s
Digital Britain Steering Group chaired by Lord Carter. Further work is
underway to explore some of the findings in more depth, in particular
the idea that broadband is increasingly becoming an essential service.
The Panel will be carrying out research to understand what lies behind
this belief: what services and other uses make broadband such an
important part of people’s lives? The results will inform the final
Digital Britain report.

* *

The research report is on the Panel’s website at:
http://www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk/smartweb/consumer-views-on-the-digital-future/consumer-views-on-the-digital-future

* *

*Success for Communications Consumer Panel Consumer Interest Toolkit
confirmed in /Rating Regulators/ report *

Communications Consumer Panel Chair Anna Bradley said that the Consumer
Focus /Rating regulators/ report confirmed the findings of the
independent review commissioned by the Panel last year: “This concluded
that the Panel’s Consumer Interest Toolkit had influenced Ofcom's
decision-making. The commendation that Ofcom received today from
Consumer Focus is particularly gratifying because it is another
endorsement for the toolkit and the way the regulator has continued to
embed it in the way that it makes policy decisions.”



The Consumer Interest Toolkit was introduced into Ofcom two years ago,
and the resulting changes to Ofcom’s culture have brought real benefits
to communications consumers. This has prompted the European Commission
to use the toolkit in its policy-making processes too.



“The needs of people must be central to everything that regulators and
policy-makers do, and I hope other organisations will consider the
benefits of our toolkit and be encouraged to adopt it in their own
work,” Anna Bradley added.

* *

You can find a copy of the Consumer Focus /Rating Regulators/ report at:

http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/Consumer_Focus_Publi/Consumer_Focus_Publi.aspx

* *

*Ofcom’s Annual plan – Panel wants to ensure consumer and citizen
interest is a top priority*

The Communications Consumer Panel has fed in three issues into Ofcom’s
Annual Plan for 2009 that it believes are crucial for consumers and
citizens in the communications sector: universal service; consumer and
citizen empowerment; and super-fast broadband.



See the Panel’s response on the website:
http://www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk/CP_Annual_Plan_09_10.pdf



*Don’t forget our blog*

Don’t forget to go onto the Communications Consumer Panel blog site for
the latest news from the Panel, and keep up-to-date with what Panel
members are saying and doing. Go to our home page and click on the blog
link at http://www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk/






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-- 
Jaqui Devereux

Director
Community Media Association

15 Paternoster Row
Sheffield
S1 2BX

+44 114 279 5219


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