What happened
On 21 October Ofcom fined telecoms provider Tismi £437,500 for failing to take appropriate and proportionate steps to stop the numbers allocated to it being misused, including for scams.
What Ofcom found
Ofcom found that, at least between November 2022 and January 2025, Tismi had no appropriate or proportionate measures in place to prevent misuse. About 366,000 sub-allocated numbers were exposed to potential misuse for more than two years. Tismi:
- sub-allocated numbers without adequate due diligence on its customers;
- did not monitor whether those numbers were being misused, and lacked systems to spot and deal with non-compliance;
- had no formal documented process for handling misuse reports.
The breaches relate to General Conditions B1.6, B1.8 and B1.9(c). Ofcom had already directed Tismi to block certain numbers in June 2025.
The penalty
The fine includes a 30% discount because Tismi admitted liability, and the money goes to HM Treasury. Tismi must also give Ofcom evidence of its due diligence, ongoing monitoring and handling of misuse reports. George Lusty, Ofcom's Director of Enforcement, said there was "no excuse" for providers failing to put proper checks in place.
New investigation
Ofcom also opened an investigation into Xtra Phones UK, which trades as Compare The Networks. It is looking at possible breaches of numbering and calling line identification rules (GCs B1 and C6) and at possible persistent misuse under section 128 of the Communications Act 2003.
Also this week
In Canada, the CRTC on 22 October approved changes to Bell Mobility's national wireless roaming tariff. The changes add commercial negotiation and final offer arbitration clauses, part of a wider effort to lower roaming prices for regional carriers.
Why it matters financially
The fine is small next to the other stories here. Its significance is that it shows Ofcom is prepared to penalise number-range holders and resellers, not just the scammers. Any provider that sub-allocates numbers faces higher compliance costs for know-your-customer checks and monitoring, and repeat breaches could bring larger fines.