"The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee found that removing price controls has made life worse for fixed line telecoms and utility customers."

That's quite surprising, because I expected that market "liberalisation" and deregulation would have had a completely different effect in the UK to that which it's had everywhere else.

You mean that telecoms and utility suppliers present the customer with such a confusing list of 'features' that it is impossible to actually compare like with like. One might even concude that they do it on purpose. It even has a name - confusion marketing. Good thing the MPs were on the ball and spotted it 'cos us gullable public never noticed and havn't been complaining about it for years.

And in other news, bears have been spotted in woodland with strained looks on their faces as they search for soft leafs..

they would do somthing about the billion calls i get each week from "other telcos" trying to get me to switch from the package i spent days if not weeks researching what is good for me, and not what pays the switching company the best commission.

I even get calls claiming to be from the provider i am with trying to get me to switch to them...

I even signed up for that service that is supposed to stop telemarketing calls, the only thing it did was prompt another call from a company trying to get me to pay them to stop people from calling me....

these are the things ofcom should be dealing with... but instead they spend all the time on deciding if the latest controversial quip from JC on top gear was suitable to be aired... or if wossy should be on our screens or not....

mines the one with the guide to telephone services in the pocket...

... Its been obvious to see that the telecoms market is as confusing as hell, and not only that but its more expensive to own a landline (especially people with basic lines) than ever before - excessively high 'connection charges' high ppm rates, many calling features at different prices, costs for calling 0845, 0870 numbers, mobile calls... The list is endless!!!!!!!!!