Telecoms consumer protection: letter from the Chancellor and DSIT Secretary of State to CEOs
Published 25 November 2025
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The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
United Kingdom
25 November 2025
Dear all,
Telecoms consumer protection
Ensuring continued investment in infrastructure is a central priority for this government. It is also vitally important that consumers are treated fairly, and have confidence in the quality of service they receive. The telecoms sector is fundamental to the success of the UK’s economy and we rely on your commitment to support improved connectivity, provide access to digital services, and enable innovation.
This government has set out a long-term approach to supporting digital infrastructure, underpinned by our 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy. Our ambition is for all populated areas to have access to standalone 5G by 2030, delivered by commercial investment. We also want 99% of premises to have access to a gigabit-capable connection by 2032. We know that this must be a collaborative effort. As such, we are continuing to remove barriers to deployment of both fixed and mobile networks. We are also committed to reviewing the mobile market to ensure that, as the sector evolves, the regulatory framework remains right for investment while delivering high quality of service and fairness for consumers.
The commitments that industry has made through the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, and wider efforts, such as the provision of the lower cost social tariffs are vital in supporting vulnerable and digitally excluded consumers. However, it is clear that more needs to be done to protect all consumers. Ordinary people should feel empowered when engaging with the sector and confident they are getting a good deal.
We are asking you to reinforce your commitment to treating customers fairly, including by confirming customers under contract will not face price rises beyond those that they signed up to. We would also like you to take proactive steps to move legacy customers onto the pounds and pence approach for price communications with no impact on the timing of planned price increases.
We are also asking that you take further steps to ensure that consumers have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of service they can expect from their telecoms provider in communications with customers, where appropriate.
We will be convening a roundtable to discuss further voluntary action to support telecoms customers, as well as areas that government can do more to enable the sector to drive investment in the UK’s digital infrastructure. Our offices will be in touch with further details, and we look forward to working together on these issues.
Yours sincerely
The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology