The Radiocommunications Agency – its role in managing the UK Radio Spectrum

RA Resources

The Agency is part of DTI and its staff are civil servants but it is managed as far as possible on business lines. Planning and managing the spectrum requires specialist expertise and nearly half the total number of staff are radio engineering and technical specialists. The remainder fill administrative and managerial roles. Many of the staff are located in the Agency's headquarters in Docklands, London with others at the Radio Technology Compatibility Group at Whyteleafe in Surrey which carries out research, development and testing of radio equipment, and the Baldock Radio Monitoring Station in Hertfordshire which has fixed and mobile facilities for monitoring the radio spectrum. Nearly 200 of the Agency's staff work in a network of local offices taking spectrum management services directly to our customers. Details of our local offices can be found on the RA website.

Picture of Radio Technology Compatibility Group at Whyteleafe

Agency Structure

The Agency's Chief Executive is Rolande Anderson, and the Agency is arranged in four executives, each headed by a Director dealing with Spectrum and International Policy, Spectrum Services, Customer Services and Corporate Services and Facilities. Their work is summarised overleaf.

Outside Bodies

Three external bodies have links with the Agency.

1 Radio Spectrum International (RSI)

is the Agency's public-private partnership with CMG plc, a leading European IT company. RSI is a private sector joint venture that supplies the Agency with advanced information systems and also exploits the Agency's intellectual property and know-how by providing consultancy services on a commercial basis to spectrum managers throughout the world.

2 The Spectrum Management Advisory Group

is an independent body under the chairmanship of Dr John Forrest, with members selected from a wide range of backgrounds, providing independent strategic advice on spectrum matters to Ministers and the Agency.

Picture of woman with mobile phone

3 The Agency Steering Board

under the chairmanship of Mark Gibson, Director General Business Group at the DTI, and with external members having relevant industrial or commercial experience, advises the Secretary of State on the Agency's Corporate Plan and the extent to which the Agency carries out its functions effectively and efficiently. The Steering Board also has a role in considering and resolving complaints that cannot be resolved by the Chief Executive.

RA – The Future

In December 2000 it was announced in the Government White Paper "a New Future for Communications" that the Agency would become part of a new independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom). This change is dependent on legislation and the earliest Ofcom is expected to operate is late 2003. For more information see the RA website.