Switching for Business — GPLB Compliance for UK Communications Providers
Switching for Business (also written SforB) helps UK Communications Providers with GPLB — the UK industry's Gaining Provider-Led Business switching process, which delivers the gaining-provider-led switching route Ofcom requires under General Condition C7. The GPLB process is written by the GPLB Steering Group, not by Ofcom, and the Steering Group states it does not create new requirements on industry. As a Managed Access Provider, NowYoYo handles the switching integration, state management, validation logic, testing and onboarding on your behalf.
What is GPLB?
Gaining Provider-Led Business switching is the UK process by which a business customer switches communications services between providers, with the gaining provider leading the switch. It is materially harder than residential One Touch Switching: Switch Order References (SORs) can stay active for up to 180 days, business estates mix switchable and non-switchable assets such as IP addressing, leased lines, alarm circuits and CCTV, and migrations are usually phased, requiring dual running alongside legacy services.
What is a Managed Access Provider (MAP)?
A Managed Access Provider connects a Communications Provider to the switching ecosystem and handles message exchange, orchestration and compliance on its behalf. NowYoYo operates as a MAP and, as an early provider in CP integration testing, exchanges business switching messages over both the TOTSCo Hub and the peer-to-peer Connected Services Framework.
Our Services
- Managed Access Provider (MAP) — Full GPLB onboarding and day-to-day switching operations managed for you.
- Seamless Legacy Integration — Bridge existing CRM and provisioning systems that lack real-time switching hooks, without re-engineering your stack.
- Order Management Alignment — Bring order journeys into line with the structured state transitions and timer-driven workflows GPLB requires.
- Switching Orchestration — Transaction lifecycle management, timer and state transition design, and eligibility and validation rules.
- Automated Audit Defence — Immutable transaction logs, timestamped message archive and dispute traceability, aligned to Ofcom requirements.
Why Work With Us
NowYoYo Limited has operated in UK telecoms since 2014 and completed onboarding with TOTSCo for business switching in August 2025. We work with Communications Providers of all sizes to achieve and maintain GPLB readiness, from initial assessment through to go-live and ongoing support.
Industry timeline
- April 2023 — Ofcom's switching regulatory changes came into force.
- August 2025 — NowYoYo completed onboarding with TOTSCo for business switching.
- Q4 2025 — Finalised GPLB documentation released.
- Q1 2026 — The Connected Services Framework (CSF) released — open source and free to use.
- Q4 2026 — CP integration testing started between early providers.
- 2027 — Industry aims to go live, subject to testing, field trials and CP volume.
Key Regulations and Industry Bodies
- Ofcom General Condition C7 — The regulatory foundation for switching and number porting in the UK, setting out what Communications Providers must do when customers switch.
- TOTSCo — The One Touch Switching Company, which operates the centralised industry hub for residential and business switching message exchange.
- Connected Services Framework (CSF) — An open, decentralised peer-to-peer transport framework for exchanging switching messages between Managed Access Providers, without a central hub.
- GPLB Steering Group — Switching for Business Message Specification v3.0: the industry message specification for GPLB switching messages, written by the GPLB Steering Group and hosted by FCS, TOTSCo and OTA2.
- FCS — The Federation of Communication Services, which provides GPLB guidance and industry coordination for UK CPs.
Reference
- What is GPLB? — Gaining Provider-Led Business switching explained.
- What is a Managed Access Provider (MAP)? — what a MAP does, and when to use one.
- Ofcom General Condition C7 — what the regulation requires in practice.
- TOTSCo and business switching — the centralised industry hub.
- Connected Services Framework (CSF) — the peer-to-peer alternative.
- Glossary — GPLB, MAP, SOR, OTS, RCPID, CSF and the rest.
Industry resources
- Ofcom's General Conditions of Entitlement — the full conditions published by Ofcom; General Condition C7 governs switching.
- TOTSCo business switching — the centralised industry hub operator.
- FCS business switching — Federation of Communication Services guidance for CPs.
- OTA2 best practice guide — implementation guidance from the Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator.
- csf-uk.org — the public Connected Services Framework site.
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Switching for Business is operated by NowYoYo Limited — see NowYoYo on LinkedIn. Contact sales@nyy.global.
Switching for Business is a trading name of NowYoYo Limited, registered in England and Wales, company no. 08918141. VAT no. GB196819842.