Ofcom has fined business and broadband provider Cloud M £50,000 for refusing to let a small business customer transfer a phone number when switching providers.
The move was a direct violation of General Condition 18, where a provider is obligated to port numbers in the shortest possible time, on reasonable terms or will have to pay reasonable compensation.
The probe found the Newbury-based firm failed to do this and will have to pay £1,000 compensation to the customer.
The case on Cloud M was opened on January 2 after a compliant was raised by MF Telecom Services.
Ofcom said in a statement: “Following an investigation, Ofcom has found Cloud M refused to let one of its customers – a small business – take their phone number with them when they wanted to switch to another provider.
“Telecoms companies are required to compensate customers if they break porting rules. Cloud M did not do this, so in addition to the £50,000 fine we are also requiring the company to pay £1,000 in compensation to the customer.
“Our message is clear to the whole industry – we won’t tolerate anyone acting outside the law”.
