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Business Review 1996/1997
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Business Review 1996/1997
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Citizens' Band Radio
The Agency sought the views of licence holders last year on a number of issues and has concentrated on areas that were highlighted in the results of that consultation exercise. A clear requirement from users and from the user groups, with whom the Agency has continued to meet regularly, was for equipment to be available covering both the UK only and CEPT services in a single set. As a result of this, the Agency has reviewed the national specification (MPT 1382) to permit up to 80 channels to be included. This equipment should be available shortly, but it should be stressed that such sets may only be used in the UK.
In June the Agency announced that the 934 MHz CB service would be withdrawn from the end of 1998. This came as no surprise to users as the specification for this service was withdrawn in 1988 allowing users ten years of extra use. This change has been necessary to accommodate the continuing enormous growth in the demand for mobile phones, in particular the new digital services, without adversely affecting existing analogue users.
Another key area has been an AM/SSB service and the Agency is continuing to carry out extensive compatibility trials to determine whether such a service could be permitted in the UK. The Agency is looking at interference to both other radio users and to the current FM CB users and results are not expected for some considerable time. In the meantime, the manufacture, sale, possession and use of AM/SSB CB equipment continues to be illegal in the UK. The Agency is also continuing to work within CEPT towards further harmonisation of the CB service.
A major issue arising from last year's consultation was the need for a nationally representative body for CB in the UK. At last year's Open Forum held in Nottingham, a Working Group was set up to look at how such an organisation might be set up. The Agency has provided administrative support to this Working Group and welcomes the development of the newly formed British Citizens' Band Confederation (BCBC). The Agency has long supported the idea of a single body to represent the view of the CB community as this would help us to target our resources more effectively in this area.
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