Ofcom has confirmed changes to the rules on fax services, which have been updated to reflect the diminishing use of this technology.

Until 13 January 2024, Ofcom’s telephone universal service obligation (USO), which ensures that a minimum set of phone services are available at an affordable price to people across the UK, included an obligation to support fax.

However, Ofcom explains, the technology has become increasingly outdated and the phone network that is used to deliver messages is also being upgraded. Once this upgrade is completed, fax services will no longer be guaranteed to work in the same way.

As a result, Ofcom has changed its rules so that the universal service providers, BT and KCOM (in the Hull area), are no longer required to provide fax services under the USO.

Ofcom explains that this change does not mean that fax services will stop working immediately, but remaining users of fax will need to look for alternatives ahead of their telephone networks being upgraded. To read Ofcom’s Statement in full, click here.