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Licence variations

Licence variations

Ofcom may vary licences from time to time. This may be at the request of the licensee or where Ofcom wishes to make a change. Most customer requests fall into two categories:

• Customer Details e.g. a request to change the administrative details of the company
• Technical Details e.g. a request for an additional station or service

Licensees must not make changes of any kind that would take them outside the boundaries of the licence unless authorised by a licence variation or new licence. Applications for variations should be made using the appropriate licensing forms or through correspondence.

In accordance with a new provision of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, where Ofcom proposes to vary (or revoke) a licence, Ofcom will send a notice to the licensee. This notice may give a month in which the licensee can state any objection or concerns about the proposed change. Ofcom must consider those representations before confirming whether or not the variation will be made.

Examples of customer detail amendments

Customer details means information which is related to the licensee, i.e.:

• Legal/Licensee name and address
• Trading name
• Contact names and addresses
• Bank details
• Account and transactions

Examples of technical detail amendments

A technical amendment is a change to anything that relates to the use of the radio spectrum, e.g.

• Change of equipment
• Moving a base station
• Requesting a new channel or frequency assignment
• More or fewer mobiles
• Additional base stations
• Change in power or other operating parameter

Requests for amendments to a licence's technical details should be made in writing, using the appropriate application form, where available from Ofcom http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/licensing/

Changes to technical information in any part of the licence can only be made by authorised Ofcom personnel. Currently, most technical amendments do not attract a fee. There are however exceptions such as the addition of a new chargeable service being added.

If an amendment changes any of the details that appear on a licence schedule, a revised licence schedule will be sent to the licensee. The equipment varied cannot be used until the change to the licence is confirmed by Ofcom.

Charging for amendments to licences

Charging for amendments to licences is based on the provisions in the Licence Charges Regulations. Normally these sums are collected at the time the licence is renewed.

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