Wireless Telegraphy Licence Charges (Amendment) Regulations - Relating to Ship Radio, Ship Portable Radio and Amateur Radio licences

Published 2 November 2006

Summary

1.1 On 12 April 2006, Ofcom published a consultation document regarding Wireless Telegraphy Licence Fee proposals for encouraging internet licensing . This consultation concerned a number of deregulatory proposals for removing or simplifying fees, expected to start from 1 December 2006. In order to levy or change fees for Wireless Telegraphy Licences, under which use of radio spectrum equipment is authorised, Ofcom is required to make statutory regulations.

1.2 The subsequent statement and statutory notice entitled the “Wireless Telegraphy Act licence charges amendments” (“the Statutory Notice”), issued on 19 July 2006, gave statutory notice of Ofcom’s intention to amend the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2005. This statement explains Ofcom’s decision to make the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (“the Amendment Regulations”).

1.3 Ofcom published notice of its intention to make the Amendment Regulations on 19 July 2006 and invited comments by 21 August 2006. In order to reach its decisions Ofcom has carefully considered all submissions received.

1.4 Ofcom received a total of nine responses to the Statutory Notice. All responses have been published on the Ofcom website and a full list of respondents is provided at Annex 1. There were no specific concerns raised about Ship Radio or Ship Portable Radio licences. All the responses concerned the Amateur Radio licence class. One positively welcomed the making of these regulations. However, several respondents repeated similar concerns to those raised in the original consultation, specifically regarding a fear that these regulations could lead to further deregulation of the amateur hobby and that amateur frequencies would not be safeguarded. One response also suggested that the fee for paper licensing could be discriminatory, especially for people with disabilities. The remaining issues raised by respondents concerned lifetime licensing arrangements. These comments are out of the scope of this consultation which only related to the Amendment Regulations.

1.5 Ofcom has considered these responses but does not consider they would justify reconsidering the fee proposals and has not therefore made any material changes to the Amendment Regulations as a result of the responses to the Statutory Notice.

1.6 Ofcom has now made the Amendment Regulations and submitted them for registration and publication. They will come into force on 1 December 2006. They will shortly be available from the Office of Public Sector Information’s website at www.opsi.gov.uk.

The full document is available below: