Ofcom looks at claims over TalkTalk sales

TELECOMS regulator Ofcom said yesterday it was investigating whether TalkTalk mis-sold telephone services or switched consumers' lines to it without their consent.

TalkTalk, the UK's second-biggest broadband provider after BT, is already under investigation by Ofcom for billing for services customers had cancelled and which were not provided.

A spokesman for TalkTalk said the company was "fully co-operating" with the inquiry. "We will continue to provide all the information it needs to conduct its investigation.We continually review our sales processes and take any potential issues of mis-selling extremely seriously."

The company has been grappling with a legacy of different types of contracts inherited when it bought Tiscali UK last year.

Earlier this month the company said it had added 18,000 broadband customers in the second quarter of its financial year, taking its total to 4.25 million, and met first-half expectations for revenues and profits.

It said it was focused on increasing revenue from its existing customers and saw opportunities to cut more costs.

Shares in TalkTalk closed up 2.3p at 153.8p yesterday.