Consumer Advisory Panel

The Consumer Advisory Panel was established by us in accordance with Section 12 of the Communications Act 2002. The purpose of the Consumer Panel is to advise us on developments, innovations and areas of consumer concern which are relevant to the three main areas of ComReg’s consumer policy:

• maximising consumer welfare,
• protecting consumers, and
• raising consumer awareness.

The Consumer Advisory Panel consists of four members appointed by the Commission. In appointing the members, the Commission has tried to ensure that the members have knowledge or experience of the telecommunications industry. The Consumer Advisory Panel meets approximately three times a year.

The Consumer Advisory Panel is responsible for highlighting issues that will assist our understanding of consumers concerns about the communications industry. The Panel advises us in open discussions – while not forgetting the confidentiality that may surround certain issues. The Panel is an added source of information for us. However, it is not our sole source of consumer advice and input as we have within our own resources the ability to identify consumer interests when making regulatory decisions.

The Main Functions of the Consumer Advisory Panel are:

• To help our decision making by raising specific issues of consumer concern,
• To provide open and independent advice to us on a diverse range of issues that arise in the communications industry,
• To give advice on how our activities are affecting consumers,
• To highlight the importance of engaging with residential consumers and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs),
• To make collective recommendations and suggestions to us on current consumer concerns, and
• To advise us on consumer interests in the markets regulated by ComReg.