OfCom introduces new rules to combat "slamming"

OfCom is set to introduce new industry laws that will cut out "slamming" and other dodgy sales techniques following complaints about the practices of some fixed line telecommunications companies. As the British IT portal The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk reports, from the end of May, all telecoms companies that sell fixed line services must follow a mandatory code of practise to prevent customers being tricked into switching telephone suppliers. In the worst "slamming" cases, customers are switched from one telecom company to another without their knowledge or consent. Companies in breach of the new rules could be fined up to 10 per cent of turnover.