These continuation notices continue licence conditions in telecommunications licences after the licences themselves are revoked on 25 July. Under the new regime, the Communications Act provides for conditions to be attached to specific providers, but only after the completion and implementation of market reviews which are currently in process. The continuation of these licence conditions is necessary to ensure that a regulatory gap is avoided.

Statement on continuing licence conditions after 25 July - published 10 September 2003.
This statement sets out in detail what has been done for the purpose of continuing licence conditions after revocation of the licences on 25 July. It sets out the reasons for continuing the provisions after the abolition of licensing, the legal basis for their continuation and in particular answers questions raised by respondents to the consultation.

Continued conditions in class licences

Explanatory Memorandum relating to continued conditions in class licences

• Premium Rate Service conditions in the Telecommunications Service Licence - 23 July 2003
• Premium Rate Service conditions in the International Simple Voice Resale Licence - 23 July 2003
• Premium Rate Service conditions in the Cordless Class Licence - 23 July 2003
• Conditions in the Access Control Class Licence - 23 July 2003
• Conditions in the Conditional Access Class Licence, only in respect of Electronic Programme Guides - 23 July 2003

Notice that Continuation notices have been given to a number of individual licensees under paragraphs 9 and 20 of schedule 18 to the Communications Act 2003 ("the Act")

1. The Director General of Telecommunications (‘the Director’) has given Continuation Notices to a number of individual Licensees pursuant to paragraph 9 of Schedule 18 of the Act. Copies of these notices are published on Oftel’s website for the purposes of transparency.

2. All Telecommunications Act licences (including class licences) will be revoked on 25 July 2003 by the Act.

3. The following Continuation Notices have been given under paragraph 9 of Schedule 18 of the Act continue the following conditions of individual licences notwithstanding the revocation of licences:

(a) British Telecommunications plc
(b) Kingston Communications (Hull) plc
(c) Communications Networking Services (UK) (Concert Communications Company)
(d) Vodafone Limited
(e) O2 (UK) Limited (Telecom Securicor Radio Limited)
(f) T-Mobile (UK) Ltd (Mercury Personal Communications Ltd)
(g) Orange Personal Communications Services Ltd
(h) Cable & Wireless UK (Mercury Communications Limited)
(i) Crown Castle (UK) Ltd (HSCO Ltd)
(j) National transcommunications Ltd
(k) British Telecommunications plc (conditions relating to premium rate services)
(l) Kingston Communications (Hull) plc (conditions relating to premium rate services)
(m) British Telecommunications plc (conditions relating to apparatus)
(n) Kingston Communications (Hull) plc (conditions relating to apparatus)
(o) All mobile Public Telecommunication Operator licensees (conditions relating to premium rate services)
(p) All fixed Public Telecommunication Operator licensees (conditions relating to premium rate services)

4. The Director has also given continuation notices pursuant to paragraph 22 of Schedule 18 to persons to whom directions under regulation 6(6) of the Telecommunications (Interconnection) Regulations 1997 apply. Those directions shall continue in force notwithstanding the revocation of the said Regulations.

5. Due to timing constraints and requests from operators for clarify a number of issues relating to the new regime and particularly this interim continuation regime, Oftel has not, today, published the justifications and reasons for the giving of these continuation notices. A full statement will however be published as soon as possible containing the Director’s justifications and reasons for the giving of these continuation notices and the clarification sought by operators. In the interim, details of why continuation notices have been necessary is set out in the consultation document that was issued on 3 July 2003.

24 July 2003

Continuation of conditions in individual telecommunications licences

• Continuation notice to continue premium rate service conditions in the BT licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue premium rate service conditions in the Kingston licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue premium rate service conditions in the mobile PTO licences
  
• Continuation notice to continue premium rate service conditions in the fixed PTO licences
  
• Continuation notice to continue hardwired telephones condition in the Kingston licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue hardwired telephones condition in the BT licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in BT licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in Kingston licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in Crown Castle licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in National Transcommunications licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in Orange licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in O2 licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in Vodafone licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in T-Mobile licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in Cable & Wireless licence
  
• Continuation notice to continue licence conditions in CNS licence

Following the revocation of the Interconnection Regulations by the Communications Act the Interconnection Directions made under those regulations would lapse. However, the Communications Act provides for the continuation of these Directions by Continuation Notices. These interconnection Directions will be continued until revoked by another notice following the completion of the relvant market reviews.

Please click here to view the table of Interconnection Directions to be continued