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Summary

1.1 On 6 July 2006, Ofcom published a consultation document concerning modifications to Wireless Telegraphy Act licence charges (“the consultation ”). The consultation set out a number of proposals for modifying Wireless Telegraphy Act (“WT Act”) licence charges. Ofcom carefully considered the responses to this consultation and issued a statement explaining its decisions on 10th January 2007. This statutory notice explains Ofcom’s intention to vary the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2005 (“the existing regulations”). The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations (“the proposed regulations”) will implement a number of Ofcom’s decisions following the consultation specifically in relation to the following licence classes:

• Community Radio licences - simplification of licence charges to implement a single licence of £250;
• Community Television Relay - introduction of new licence class for self help TV at flat five year licence fee of £75, this was originally covered in a policy separate consultation which closed on 1 March 2007;
• Broadcasting Services - introduction of existing licence class and fee for National and Regional Analogue Television Transmission into licence charges regulations;
• National Public Safety licence classes at 380-385 MHz and 390 MHz to 395 MHz - publication of existing fees and licence classes in licence charges regulations;
• Self Co-ordinated links - additional frequencies to be made available at 71 - 76GHz and 81 - 86GHz at existing rates of £50 per link;
• Point to Point Fixed Links – modification of fee calculation in order to enable Ofcom to offer credits for the early surrender of fixed links;
• Fixed Wireless Access - additional frequency (10 GHz) added at existing rate of £5,000 per licence per 60 month period;
• Maritime – temporary licence classes included for Coastal Station Radio at existing rates, minor typographical errors corrected;
• Programme Making and Special Events (20% overall increase weighted towards exclusive users of spectrum);
• Public Wireless Networks – introduction of new licence class for the Channel Islands and Isle of Man with fee based on comparative population pro-rata as the national rates set for United Kingdom mainland for second generation cellular services;
• Satellite (Transportable Earth Station) - extension of existing frequency bands available to the class;
• Science and Technology - introduction of two new miscellaneous licence classes; a short term licence at a rate of £20 per licence for up to 1 year or a long term licence at a rate of £50 per licence for up to five years; and
• Ground Probing Radar - introduction of a new fee and licence class.

1.2 The remaining licence classes addressed (Business Radio (except National Public Safety), Satellite and Coastal Station Radio (Training School)), in the consultation will be dealt with in a separate set of Regulations later in 2007. It is expected that the later regulations will be implemented in early 2008.

1.3 Section 2 of this document provides general background to the policy and regulatory framework for WT Act licence charges. It also describes the effect of the proposed changes to WT Act licence charges. Section 3 describes the proposed editorial changes to the existing regulations. A Regulatory Impact Assessment can be found at Annex 4. The RIA sets out the risks, costs and benefits of Ofcom’s decision and the effects that these will have on the costs to business. The proposed regulations are included at Annex 6. Further hard copies of these Regulations are available from Ofcom at 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA from the contact specified in Annex 1 for responding to this Notice. Comments on the proposed regulations are invited by 2 July 2007. This consultation period is shorter than the standard 10 week consultation period because this statutory notice follows a policy consultation, issued in July 2006, which fully considered the policy impact of the proposals. All respondents should use the online form available at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/licencecharges/howtorespond/form.

1.4 Once the consultation has closed, Ofcom will consider the responses and issue a statement. Ofcom expects the regulations to be in place by the end of August 2007.

• Notice of Ofcom’s proposals to make licence charges regulations [pdf]
  Full Print Version

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