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Summary

Reform of ships’ radio licensing

On the 22 February 2005, Ofcom published a consultation document on ships’ radio licensing. In that document, Ofcom proposed to reform ships’ radio licensing in order to reduce the regulatory burden on both radio users and the regulator.

Ofcom received a total of eighty-nine responses before the consultation period closed on 3 May 2005, the vast majority of which were in favour of Ofcom’s preferred proposal for the reform of ship radio licensing.

Following the consultation Ofcom held further informal discussions with several key stakeholders to ensure that plans were developed appropriately.

As a result of these discussions Ofcom has decided to implement the following reforms:

• To issue ‘lifetime’ ships’ radio licences which shall remain valid for as long as the licence details remain correct or until such time as the licence is either revoked by Ofcom or surrendered by the licensee. There shall be no end date on the ships’ radio licence. Such licences shall be personal to the licensee (whether individual or corporate) and will not be transferable (for example upon the sale of the vessel).
• To issue ‘lifetime’ ships’ portable radio licences which shall remain valid for as long as the licence details remain correct or until such time as the licence is either revoked by Ofcom or surrendered by the licensee. There shall be no end date on the ships’ portable radio licence. Such licences shall be personal to the licensee (whether individual or corporate) and will not be transferable (for example upon the sale of the ships’ portable radio equipment).
• To provide an online, web-based, self-service licensing service as an alternative to the postal service;
• To issue electronic licences (probably PDF® documents) to users of the online, web-based, self-service licensing service free of charge. The licensee would then print a hard copy of the licence which must be kept on board the vessel;
• To continue to make paper licences available (but subject to an administrative charge);
• To modify the original proposal by requiring licensees to confirm their licence details at least once every ten years in order to maintain their lifetime licence;
• To dispense with the licence disc.

The full document is available below:

• Ships’ radio licensing - Policy statement [pdf]
  Full Print Version

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