Section 124: Suspending service provision for contraventions of s. 120 conditions, Communications Act 2003

OFCOM may give a direction under this section to a person who is a communications provider ("the contravening provider") if they are satisfied—

that he is or has been in serious and repeated contravention of conditions set under section 120;

that an attempt, by the imposition of penalties or the giving of enforcement notifications under section 95 (as applied by section 123) or both, to secure compliance with the contravened conditions has failed;

that the giving of the direction is appropriate and proportionate to the seriousness (when repeated as they have been) of the contraventions; and

that the giving of the direction is required for reasons of public policy.

OFCOM may also give a direction under this section to a person who is a communications provider ("the contravening provider") if they are satisfied—

that he is, or has been, in contravention of conditions set under section 120 in respect of a premium rate service;

that the circumstances of the contravention make it appropriate for OFCOM to suspend or restrict the provision of premium rate services provided by the contravening provider without the conditions set out in subsection (1) being satisfied; and

that in those circumstances the giving of the direction is urgently required for reasons of public policy.

A direction under this section is—

a direction to the contravening provider to secure the suspension of the provision of premium rate services provided by him; or

a direction requiring him to secure compliance with restrictions, set out in the direction, on the provision of such services.

A direction under this section—

must specify the services to which it relates; and

except so far as it otherwise provides, takes effect for an indefinite period beginning with the time at which it is notified to the person to whom it is given.

A direction under this section—

in providing for the effect of a suspension or restriction to be postponed, may provide for it to take effect only at a time determined by or in accordance with the terms of the direction; and

in connection with the suspension or restriction contained in the direction or with the postponement of its effect, may impose such conditions on the contravening provider as appear to OFCOM to be appropriate for the purpose of protecting that provider's customers.

Those conditions may include a condition requiring the making of payments—

by way of compensation for loss or damage suffered by the contravening provider's customers as a result of the direction; or

in respect of annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety to which they have been put in consequence of the direction.

If OFCOM consider it appropriate to do so (whether or not in consequence of representations or proposals made to them), they may revoke a direction under this section or modify its conditions—

with effect from such time as they may direct;

subject to compliance with such requirements as they may specify; and

to such extent and in relation to such services as they may determine.

Sections 102 and 103 apply in the case of a direction under this section as they apply in the case of a direction under section 100, but as if references in section 103(1) to an electronic communications network or electronic communications service were references to a premium rate service.

For the purposes of this section there are repeated contraventions by a person of conditions set under section 120 to the extent that—

in the case of a previous notification given to that person under section section 94 (as applied by section 123), OFCOM have determined for the purposes of section 95(2) or 96(2) (as so applied) that such a contravention did occur; and

in the period of twelve months following the day of the making of that determination, one or more further notifications have been given to that person in respect of contraventions of a condition set under section 120.

For the purposes of this section the seriousness of repeated contraventions of conditions set under section 120 has to be determined by reference to the seriousness of the contraventions of the approved code or order by reference to which the conditions have effect.

Section 124: Suspending service provision for contraventions of s. 120 conditions

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