The White Paper proposes that Ofcom will combine the functions of Oftel, the Independent Television Commission, the Radio Authority, the Broadcasting Standards Commission and the Radiocommunications Agency.
The Department of Trade and Industry says the proposal will mean less red tape, more choice and guaranteed standards for consumers. Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers said yesterday:
"We now live and work in a new world where TV, telecoms and the internet are no longer separate… In particular the proposed reforms of the telecoms sector will offer regulatory stability combined with effective competition providing a spur for firms to innovate, increase productivity and compete in a global market place.”