Welcome to the MABABF website.
MABABF is the Metering and Billing Approval Bodies Forum and consists of Ofcom, the appointed Approval Bodies and other interested parties from the industry.
The purpose of this website is to provide useful information to Electronic Communication Providers who are required to comply with the Ofcom Metering and Billing Direction 2017.The pages of the site will provide some guidance on what is required to be approved and to maintain that approval for organisations embarking on the approval journey.
What is Metering & Billing?
In the UK, Ofcom has overall responsibility for regulating Metering and Billing by Electronic Communications Providers. Ofcom regulates the accuracy of bills issued by providers of Voice Communication Services and/or Internet Access Services, through General Condition C3 of its General Conditions. As part of the condition, providers of Regulated Services, with a relevant annual turnover in excess of £55million, must seek and obtain approval of their metering and billing systems from independent third-party assessors (Approval Bodies) against a prescribed standard. This system of approval arrangements represents the Ofcom Metering and Billing Approval Scheme.
The Ofcom Metering and Billing Direction sets out the requirements for gaining approval under the condition and is essentially a technical standard intended to ensure compliant systems will deliver accurate bills. Ofcom have appointed three Approval Bodies
The Approval Bodies carry out assessments and monitoring of Electronic Communications Providers’ compliance with the Metering & Billing Direction.