Gaining Provider Led Business Switching

Ofcom confirmed a regulatory requirement for providers to develop and operate a new ‘One Touch Switch’ (OTS) process for all residential customers who switch landline voice and broadband services and to remove the existing Notification of Transfer (NOT) process. In addition, Business customers are required to follow an industry agreed Gaining Provider Led (GPL) process for their fixed voice and broadband switching. Details of the Ofcom statement, issued on 3rd February 2022 can be viewed here. 

Statement: Quick, easy and reliable switching – Ofcom 

The new regulatory changes come into force in April 2023 and these changes will impact all providers to business customers. As part of these changes an industry agreed process for business switching (details of which can be viewed below) will come into effect.

What’s in scope? Ofcom have defined that suppliers of NBICs (Number Based Internet Communication – generally, any service that uses a geographic number which is not a mobile service), or IAS (Internet Access Services), provided at a fixed location, where that switch does not involve a change in location, are in scope of ‘OTS’ for residential customers and a GPL process for Business customers.

Please find below, structured files containing key GPLB switching documentation, including the latest Business switching process, Business switching principles, the latest comms and the change control process that Providers can use to raise required changes with the GPLB Switching Steering Group.