Ofcom wins major case against the sale of illegal radio equipment

Ofcom has won a major court case against a company selling illegal radio equipment, as part of its on-going programme to tackle illegal broadcasting and protect the radio waves from harmful interference.

Two directors from Broadcast Warehouse Limited, based in Croydon, pleaded guilty to selling radio equipment that did not meet regulations designed to make sure that the equipment does not cause interference to other radio users.

Other radio users include the emergency service and air traffic control. Equipment that does not comply with the Radio Equipment and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (R&TTE) regulations 2000 has the potential to cause interference to these critical services.

Illegal transmitters that do not comply with the R&TTE regulations may be used by illegal broadcasters, or so-called ‘pirate radio’ stations. Broadcasts by these stations are a common cause of interference to other radio users and the communications systems used by safety of life services.

Broadcast Warehouse Limited and its two directors were fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs totalling over £90,000 at Croydon Magistrates Court last week. This is the largest sum ever awarded to Ofcom in a court case involving the sale of illegal equipment.

During its investigation, Ofcom was assisted by ComReg, the Irish communications regulator, and National Air Traffic Services.

As part of the investigation, Ofcom discovered that transmitters which contained illegal components from Broadcast Warehouse Limited inside them, were being used by two illegal radio stations to broadcast from the Republic of Ireland across the border into Northern Ireland. Although Broadcast Warehouse Limited and its directors were not responsible for the way the transmitters were being used, these illegal stations were causing interference to air traffic control systems on both sides of the border. The judge noted that Broadcast Warehouse Limited is not an illegitimate concern set up to cause chaos in the necessarily highly regulated radio communications industry. He accepted it is a well-intentioned professional company.

The same type of illegal components from Broadcast Warehouse Limited, were found in transmitters also being used in the West Midlands by illegal broadcasters in the Birmingham and Wolverhampton areas.

Paul Mercer, head of investigations at Ofcom, said: “It is essential that our airwaves are kept free of interference, as they are used for all modern communications including systems used by the emergency services and aviation. Ofcom will take firm and swift action against companies that breach the rules and endanger public safety.”

Ends.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. Advice for consumers on reporting interference can be found at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/inter/

Ofcom wins major case against the sale of illegal radio equipment

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