Cookies policy Add to Your Pages <i>
</i>
<small>22 February 2021</small>
<p>Cookies are small files that are saved on your device when you visit a website.
We explain below what cookies we use and why.</p>Necessary cookies<p>These cookies make our websites work as they should.
They do things like:</p>
<ul>
<li>remember your selections or preferences so that you don’t have to set them again</li>
<li>help our servers cope with changes in site traffic</li>
<li>protect websites against attacks.</li>
</ul>
<p>We use necessary cookies on the following domains:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ofcom: https://www.ofcom.org.uk</li>
<li>Small Screen: Big Debate: https://www.smallscreenbigdebate.co.uk</li>
<li>The Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator: http://www.offta.org.uk</li>
<li>The Office of the Adjudicator – Broadcast Transmission Services: http://ota-bts.org.uk/*</li>
<li>The Office of the Adjudicator – Contracts Rights Renewal (CRR): http://www.adjudicator-crr.org.uk/*</li>
<li>Ofcom mobile and broadband checker: https://checker.ofcom.org.uk*</li>
<li>Ofcom online licensing services: https://ofcom.force.com/licensingcomlogin*</li>
<li>OPIR, SPECTRAsc, Payments, and Business radio management portal: secure.ofcom.org.uk*</li>
<li>Number management system: https://ofcom.force.com/NMS_LoginPage*</li>
<li>PMSE: https://pmse.ofcom.org.uk/Pmse/Ecom/LoginPage.aspx*</li>
<li>Jobs portal: https://jobs-ofcom.icims.com*</li>
<li>Various legacy subsites beginning https://static.ofcom.org.uk/*</li>
</ul>
<p>*Note: We are currently auditing the cookies on these subdomains, so the list of cookies below may be incomplete.
We will update this page soon.</p>
<p>You can restrict or block these cookies through your browser settings, but this may impact your experience of our websites.</p>NamePurposeExpirationCookieControlThis cookie remembers users’ cookies settings selections on this website, to prevent prompts to choose again when they return.2 yearsSQ_SYSTEM_SESSIONSquiz Matrix content management system cookie that remembers when a user is logged in to the website to prevent prompts to log back in.When user closes browserPagesThis cookies enables the 'add to your pages' functionality.1 yearwhat-intentMicrosoft cookie used on pages featuring an interactive data report (like our Communications Market Report).
The cookie detects user device types so that the Power BI application fits the screen accordingly.
Read more about Microsoft cookies in their privacy statement.When user closes browserAI_bufferMicrosoft cookie to limit the number of server requests on pages featuring a Power BI interactive data report.When user closes browserAI_sentBufferMicrosoft cookie to limit the number of server requests on pages featuring a Power BI interactive data report.When user closes browserai_sessionMicrosoft cookie enabling users to navigate Power BI interactive data reports.1 dayai_userMicrosoft cookie to collect statistical usage of Power BI data reports.1 year WFESessionIdMicrosoft cookie to collect statistical usage of Power BI data reports.When user closes browserAspxformsauthSPECTRAsc - Session authentication cookie to verify account holders on our PMSE site. When user closes browserASP.NET_SessionIdSPECTRAsc - Cookie used to maintain anonymised sessions on our spectrum sites. When user closes browservuidVimeo cookie to enable video plays. 2 yearsclientSrcSalesforce cookie used on licensing sites to validate user IP addresses.
Read more about Salesforce community cookies.When user closes browsersidSalesforce cookie used on licensing sites to validate user sessions.When user closes browsersid_ClientSalesforce cookie used on licensing sites to validate user sessions.When user closes browser_GRECAPTCHAGoogle ReCaptca helps websites and mobile apps prevent spam and block 'bots'.5 months_Secure-3PSIDCC, SIDCCGoogle ReCaptca helps websites and mobile apps prevent spam and block 'bots'.1 year_Secure-3PAPISID, SSID, HSID, SID, SAPISID, APISID, _Secure-3PSIDGoogle ReCaptca helps websites and mobile apps prevent spam and block 'bots'.2 years1P_JAR, OTZGoogle ReCaptca helps websites and mobile apps prevent spam and block 'bots'.1 monthCONSENTGoogle ReCaptca helps websites and mobile apps prevent spam and block 'bots'.17 YearsNIDGoogle ReCaptca helps websites and mobile apps prevent spam and block 'bots'.6 MonthsRRetURLSalesforce cookie used on licensing sites to enable logins.When user closes browserrsidSalesforce cookie used on licensing sites to enable admin logins.When user closes browserpctrkSalesforce cookie used on licensing sites to distinguish users.When user closes browseroidSalesforce cookie containing Ofcom’s ID for its implementation of Salesforce.When user closes browserinstSalesforce cookie used on licensing sites to redirect traffic to Salesforce server.When user closes browserARRAffinity / ARRAffinitySameSiteused for load balancing to make sure the requested pages are routed to the same server in any browsing session.When user closes browserTiPMixUsed by Azure when determining which web server they should be directed to.1 Hourx-ms-routing-nameUsed by Azure to handle traffic during code changes.1 HourPerformance cookies<p>These cookies help us understand how people use the following websites:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ofcom: https://www.ofcom.org.uk</li>
<li>Ofcom mobile and broadband checker: https://checker.ofcom.org.uk</li>
<li>Small Screen: Big Debate: https://www.smallscreenbigdebate.co.uk</li>
<li>The Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator: http://www.offta.org.uk</li>
</ul>
<p>This includes how many people visit a website, which pages they view and how they navigate through it.
We use this information to make improvements.
Anonymous data is stored in Google Analytics, Google Optimize, Hotjar and Siteimprove.</p>NamePurposeExpiration_gaGoogle Analytics cookie to collect data on website traffic.
Read a summary of Google Analytics’ data practices.2 yearscollectGoogle Analytics cookie to collect data about user behaviour and devices.When user closes browser_gidGoogle Analytics cookie to distinguish users.1 day_gatGoogle Analytics cookie used to throttle the speed of requests to the server.1 day_hjIDHotjar cookie to collect data on user behaviour.
Read more about Hotjar’s use of cookies. 1 year_hjIncludedInSampleHotjar cookie to collate data on user navigation.When user closes browser_hjTLDTestHotjar cookie to determine the search engine ranking of the website.When user closes browser_dc_gtm_#Google Tag Manager cookie used to analyse how users interact with the website.1 daynmstatSiteimprove cookie used to collect statistics about site usage.
Read more about how Siteimprove process personal data in their privacy notice.1 yearBrowserIDSalesforce cookie used to collect analytics. Read more about Salesforce community cookies. 1 yearMarketing cookies<p>These cookies allow us to measure the performance of our communications campaign activity on Google Ads and Facebook.
They also enable us to serve targeted ads in Google search results and on Facebook.
We use these cookies on Ofcom.org.uk.</p>NamePurposeExpirationads/ga-audiencesGoogle Ads cookie used to re-engage users that have previously visited the website.
Read more about Google’s use of cookies.When user closes browser_fbp Facebook advertising cookie used to deliver ads to people who have already visited our website when they are on Facebook or a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising.
Read more about how Facebook use cookies in their cookie policy.3 monthsHow to control and delete cookies<p>You can update your cookies preferences for Ofcom.org.uk by clicking the cog icon in the bottom left corner of the screen.</p>
<p>You can block or remove cookies set by our other websites – see the full list of domains under ‘Necessary cookies’ above – through your browser settings.
This guide tells you how to manage cookies on a range of browsers.</p>