It seems that at least Ofcom has decided to crack down on something under powers we knew that it already always had to tackle scams under the Communications Act.  Ofcom has also asked for the maximum fine it can impose on that activity from £5,000 to a whopping £50,000.

Now what is that activity you ask?  Surely it is describing 0845 and 0870 numbers as being charged as "ordinary local rate and national rate calls sir".  Or perhaps it is making customers queue needlessly for 10 minutes for a call centre adviser on an 0870 number when the company concerned had plenty of staff available?

No the area Ofcom has decided to go to town on but that appears, in my experience, to be much less of a problem than 0845 and 0870 call scamming is the problem of Silent Calls by telemarketing companies.  Now I agree these are not nice but they are basically only made to people who have not signed up with http://www.tpsonline.org.uk and do not seem to cause nearly as much pain suffering and inconvenience to most telecoms consumers as being violently overcharged several times a week for unavoidable calls to businesses of which one is an established customer.

Do you suppose that Ofcom could decide to get tough here because it won't actually cost the telemarketing companies any real money but will merely force them to run their businesses more efficiently?  Whereas stopping 084/7 scamming tommorow would cost the telcos billions so is something that Ofcom has continually attempted to delay action on for as long as it humanly can?

See  http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2005/10/nr_20051031 for more details on Ofcom at last deciding to get tough on something. :o  Even if its not the most important something. :'(