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Welcome to the home page of Ofcoms Strategic Review of Spectrum Pricing, on which we will publish a consultation in 2010.

Over the coming months, further information, such as interim analysis, facts and figures relating to the Review will be published here.

Stakeholders can also contribute to the Review by emailing us at this address SRSP.Enquiries@ofcom.org.uk

Why are we doing this Review?

Ofcom last carried out a major review of fees in 2004. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/spec_pricing/statement/statement.pdf

Since then, the context in which spectrum users operate has changed significantly:

• Many licences are now tradable, so spectrum rights can be transferred to reflect users’ and potential users’ need for them;
• Many licences are awarded on a technology and service neutral basis, allowing the market to decide what the spectrum should be used for;
• To promote more efficient use of spectrum, it is increasingly been awarded by auction. Both the Digital Dividend – the spectrum freed up by the switch to digital television - and the 2.6GHz spectrum will be awarded in this way.

All of these changes have a bearing on what our pricing approach should be in future to secure the optimal use of the spectrum in the interests of citizens and consumers. 

What will the Review cover?

We are therefore embarking on a Review of our pricing policy and methodology, and an assessment of the priorities for fee rate review.  This Review will consider both fees based on Administered Incentive Pricing and administrative fees based on cost recovery.

The terms of reference can be found here

We will issue a consultation document in 2010.

The Review will not re-examine current or recent projects which have elements of pricing in them. Those projects are, or have been, subject to separate consultations.  In particular, the Review will not undertake a specific fee rate review for 2 G spectrum.  The Review will however consider all of the key high level policy questions for all spectrum bands, including those capable of mobile use and these decisions will inform any subsequent fee rate reviews for all spectrum users.

We will not be reviewing fees for terrestrial broadcasting or for ships’ and amateur radio licences (which are free when issued online).

Stakeholder Engagement

Licence fee levels are important to thousands of businesses and public services, throughout the UK economy. Their use of spectrum enables services to be provided for the benefit of many millions of consumers and citizens.

Stakeholders are invited to share their views with us, by emailing us. At this early stage of the Review, there are no set questions and we welcome contributions at any level of detail, or any length. In addition, we will hold a number of events for all stakeholders including representation by trade and industry associations. We are particularly keen for stakeholders to provide advice on how best they would like their own interests to be represented at these events.

In addition, as work on the Review progresses, we may publish on our website interim analysis or other evidence to help inform the debate.

To contribute, please email SRSP.Enquiries@ofcom.org.uk

We intend to draw on contributions to the issues raised here, to prepare our future planned consultation document.  Therefore, while we do not intend to publish any contributions we receive now, we may refer to them in our later consultation process. If you wish part or all of your contribution to remain confidential, including your personal details, can you please clearly indicate this and why you consider these details should be kept confidential

Please note however that Ofcom may still need to publish these contributions, including those which are marked as confidential, in order to meet legal obligations.  Ofcom will seek to protect your personal data if indicated to do so. Also, if your contribution is submitted by e-mail, you agree that Ofcom can disregard any standard e-mail text about not disclosing email contents and attachments.

• Documents
• Terms of Reference [pdf]

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