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The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 1999

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Department of Trade and Industry
Radiocommunications Agency
Wireless Telegraphy Act

Licence and fee changes

The Minister responsible for Radiocommunications, Mr Michael Wills, has signed and laid in Parliament new Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations. The new Regulations include both existing and new fees, consolidated into one set of Regulations (1999 No. 1774 - to be published shortly by HMSO). A summary of the new fees is set out below in detail. Subject to Parliament, these are intended to come into force on 19 July. New fees will be applied to new licences issued after that date and to existing licences on the date of renewal, which is normally the date of anniversary of issue of a licence, unless licensees have arranged differently with the Agency .

Because of major changes in the Private Business Radio (PBR) sector, and the introduction of new systems, the Agency proposes to revoke all existing PBR licences and issue new licences (either in existing classes or in the new classes). The notice (also being published in the Gazettes) follows below. A detailed newsletter for PBR customers is to be issued very shortly, which will explain the changes as simply as possible.

The Fee Regulations contain a number of tables (repeated below) which indicate the locations of areas of congestion for some classes, and will result in different fees in those areas. With the exception of Common Base Station licences, these tables reflect the maps published in the September 1998 Consultation Document on Implementing Spectrum Pricing. The Common Base Station map has been changed slightly and will be reissued in a forthcoming newsletter to licensees in that class. The PBR map is being reissued (unchanged) to PBR licensees in their newsletter.

 

Spectrum Services Executive
Radiocommunications Agency
July 1999

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 The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 1999

The changes are as follows :

The Regulations introduce the concept of congestion factors for some classes which may be defined as:

a) Heavily Congested ;

b) Congested ;

c) Non - Congested.

Depending on the type of congestion, licence fees will vary accordingly. The areas, frequencies and channels of heavily congested, congested and non congested are designated by national grid references and listed for each licence class concerned in the following tables. Individual changes follow below :

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Private Business Radio :

Following the introduction of a new licence last year, the On - Site Private Business Radio licence, fees will now be based on the number of channels at each site and the relevant congestion level.

The Regulations also introduce two new Private Business Radio licence classes :

a) Wide Area Private Business Radio

b) National and Regional Private Business Radio

The Wide Area PBR licence is for shared wide area PBR systems. The National and Regional PBR licence is for exclusive national and regional PBR systems.

A new general privision may allow some licence classes to be charged according to the number of months used. Such a provision is already available for fixed links. Further announcements will be made about the implementation for other appropriate classes. 

Please Note

We have attempted to follow the wording of the Regulations as far as possible, but in this document, we have tried to present the fees in a way that makes it easier to follow the changes. In the case of any doubt or difficulty, the wording of the Regulations applies.

 

New fees for Private Business Radio

Class of Licence Variable Sums Interval of time for payment
National and Regional Private Business Radio

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 For each 2 x 12.5 kHz national channel in the VHF High Band, UHF Band I or UHF Band II -

£9,900 in the United Kingdom

£8,250 in respect of a channel in any other frequency band in the United Kingdom.

For each 2 x 12.5 kHz regional channel in respect of a channel in the VHF Band, UHF Band I or UHF Band II -

£6,435 in England

£5,363 in respect of a channel in any other frequency band in England

£990 in Wales

£825 in respect of any other channel in Wales

£1,485 in Scotland

£1,237 In respect of any other channel in Scotland

£990 in Northern Ireland

£825 in respect of any other channel in Northern Ireland.

Provided that -

50 per cent of the prescribed sum is payable in respect of each 1 x 12.5 kHz Channel

50 per cent of the prescribed sum is payable in respect of each channel of 2 x 6.25 kHz or less

200 per cent of the prescribed sum is payable in respect of each 2 x 25 kHz channel

 Yearly

 

 

  

Class of Radio Variable Sums Interval Time for Payment
National and Regional Private Business Radio Continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Provided further that where the Secretary of State is satisfied that the technologies associated with the use of the channel complies with section 2(2) (c) (i) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998 -

20 % of the amount due is payable on the issue of the licence

40 % of the amount due is payable on the first anniversary of the issue of the licence

60 % of the amount due is payable on the second anniversary of the issue of the licence.

80 % of the amount due is payable on the third anniversary of the issue of the licence

the full amount due is payable on the fourth and each subsequent anniversary of the licence.

  

 

  

Class of Licence Variable Sums Interval of Time for Payment
On - Site Private Business Radio

(Please see Table A for designations of congested areas)

 

 For each 2 x 12.5 kHz channel or for each channel of 12.5 kHz or less per site in the VHF High band, UHF Band I or UHF Band II:

- for each channel per site in a heavily congested

area : £200

- for each channel per site in a congested

area : £100

- for each channel per site in a non congested area : £75

For each 2 x 12.5 kHz channel or for each channel of 1 x 12.5 kHz or less per site in any other band, the fee payable will be charged as for a channel in a non congested area.

 Yearly
Wide Area Private Business Radio

(Please see Tables C and D for congestion and other factors to calculate the price in Table B)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 For each 2 x 12.5 kHz channel in the VHF high band, UHF band I or UHF band II, the price in Table B is determined for each channel according to whether it is being licensed in a heavily congested, congested or non congested area. The price in Table B can be calculated according to the category and the number of mobile stations per channel using Tables C and D

For use of any other 2 x 12.5 kHz channel, the fee payable will be charged as non congested.

The following applies for other sized channels :

- for each 1 x 12.5 kHz channel 50 per cent of the prescribed sum above

- for each channel of 2 x 6.25 kHz or less 50 per cent of the prescribed sum above

- for each 2 x 25 kHz channel 200 per cent of the prescribed sum above.

The sum payable in relation to this class of licence shall not be less than £75 for any of the calculations in this class.

 Yearly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 TABLE A

HEAVILY CONGESTED AND CONGESTED AREAS FOR ON - SITE PRIVATE BUSINESS RADIO LICENCE

Designation of area National Grid Reference
Heavily Congested TQ250750; TQ250850; TQ350750; TQ350850
Congested TQ150750; TQ150850; TQ250950; TQ350950; TQ450750; TQ450850

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TABLE B

FEES PAYABLE FOR WIDE AREA PRIVATE BUSINESS RADIO LICENCE

Category Fee

£
  Heavily Congested Congested Non - congested
A

B

C

D

 1,640

820

328

200

 820

410

164

100

 410

205

82

75

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TABLE C

HEAVILY CONGESTED AND CONGESTED AREAS FOR WIDE AREA PRIVATE BUSINESS RADIO LICENCE

Designation of area National Grid Reference
Heavily congested TQ250750; TQ250850; TQ350750; TQ350850
Congested TQ150750; TQ150850; TQ250950; TQ350950; TQ450750; TQ450850

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TABLE D

DETERMINATION OF CATEGORY

Category Number of mobile stations per channel location for relevant type of business use
  Data dominant and data only users Local government Band III users Taxi, minicab and courier companies All other private business users
A

B

C

D

 >375

151-375

39-150

1-38

 >180

73-180

19-72

1-18

 >113

46-113

12-45

1-11

 >75

31-75

9-30

1-8

 

Changes to Point to Point Fixed Links

As a result of the Wireless Telegraphy ( Licence Charges) Amendment Regulations 1999, Fixed point to point links, became subject to spectrum pricing. Fixed point to multi - point links, scanning telemetry and Un co - ordinated links were not subject to spectrum pricing this year and are unchanged.


Fees for point to point links are calculated on a number of factors ;

- Bandwidth Used ;

- For certain bands, a congestion factor has been applied to designated geographical areas to encourage the installation of spectrally efficient equipment;

- The minimum bit rate, where congestion is a factor.

To calculate the fee for a particular type of fixed link frequency band, please see the tables below which define the fees payable in congested (Table E) and Non - congested areas (Table F) and the national grid references (Table G) that designates what are congested areas.

Check the grid reference of your operational area against table G. If your link starts or finishes in one of these areas, and is in one of the frequency bands indicated, you will pay the fee set out in Table E . If your grid reference does not appear in that table, you would pay the non - congested rate as set out in table F.

For the addition of a second link, 50 % of the calculated fee is payable where the two links are operating co - channel and cross - polar.

For each co - ordinated uni - directional link, 75 % of the calculated fee is payable.

On the addition of a co - ordinated bi - directional or uni - directional link to the licence, after the issue or renewal of the licence, the fee will be such a sum as represents one twelfth of the licence fee to the renewal date, multiplied by the number of months to renewal.

For each temporary link, the fee will be the sum prescribed.

 

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TABLE E

FEES PAYABLE IN RELATION TO CONGESTED AREAS

Frequency band Limits of bandwidth per fixed link Minimum data bit rate Fee

£
3.600 - 4.200 GHz

 

 

 

 

 Not more than 15 MHz

More than 15 Mhz but not more than 30 MHz

More than 30 Mhz but not more than 90 MHz

 51 Mbit/s

51 Mbit/s

140 Mbit/s

140 Mbit/s

 715

1,430

925

2,775
7.425 - 7.900 GHz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Not more than 3.5 MHz

More than 3.5 Mhz but not more than 7 MHz

 

More than 7 Mhz but not more than 14 MHz

 

More than 14 Mhz but not more than 28 MHz

More than 28 Mhz but not more than 56 MHz

 8 Mbit/s

8 Mbit/s

16 Mbit/s

16 Mbit/s

34 Mbit/s

34 Mbit/s

140 Mbit/s

140 Mbit/s

 345

690

465

930

715

1,430

925

1,850
12.750 - 13.250 GHz and 14.25 - 14.5 GHz

 

 

 Not more than 1.75 MHz

More than 1.75 MHz but not more than 3.5 MHz

More than 3.5 Mhz but less than 7 MHz

 

More than 7 MHz but not more than 14 MHz

 

More than 14 MHz but not more than 28 MHz

More than 28 MHz but not more than 56 MHz

 2 Mbit/s

4 Mbit/s

8 Mbits

8 Mbit/s

16 Mbit/s

16 Mbit/s

34 Mbit/s

34 Mbit/s

140 Mbit/s

140 Mbit/s

 230

460

345

690

465

930

715

1,430

925

1,850
All bands specified above Any bandwidth in relation to an analogue link Not Applicable 925

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TABLE F

FEES PAYABLE IN RELATION TO NON-CONGESTED AREAS
Frequency band Limits of bandwidth per fixed link Fee £
1350-1690 MHz

 

 

1.70 - 1.90 GHz

3.6-4.2GHz

 

 

7.425-7.9GHz, 12.75-13.25 GHz and 14.25-14.5 GHz

 

17.30-17.70 GHz

 

 

 

 

21.2 - 23.6 GHz, 24.25 - 26.5 GHz

and 27.5 - 29.5 GHz

 

31.00 - 31.8 GHz

 

 

 

37 - 39.5 GHz

 

 

 

54.2 - 57.2 GHz

 Less than 500 kHz

More than 500 kHz and less than 1 MHz

More than 1 MHz and less than 2 MHz

More than 50 kHz

Not more than 15 MHz

More than 15 MHz but not more than 30 MHz

More than 30 MHz but not more than 90 MHz

Not more than 3.5 MHz

More than 3.5 Mhz but not more than 7 MHz

More than 7 MHz but not more than 14 MHz

More than 14 MHz but not more than 28 MHz

More than 28 MHz but not more than 280 Mhz

Not more than 14 MHz

More than 14 MHz but not more than 100 MHz

More than 100 MHz but not more than 200 MHz

More than 200 Mhz but not more than 300 MHz

More than 300 MHz

Not More than 3.5 MHz

More than 3.5 MHz but not more than 7 MHz

More than 7 MHz but not more than 14 MHz

More than 14 MHz but not more than 28 MHz

More than 28 MHz but not more than 56 MHz

Not more than 56 MHz

More than 56 MHz but not more than 140 MHz

More than 140 MHz but not more than 250 MHz

More than 250 MHz but not more than 280 MHz

Not More than 3.5 MHz

More than 3.5 MHz but not more than 7 MHz

More than 7 MHz but not more than 14 MHz

More than 14 MHz but not more than 28 MHz

More than 28 MHz but not more than 56 MHz

Not more than 56 MHz

 260

380

500

380

715

925

2,775

345

465

715

925

1,390

720

925

1,030

1,155

1,280

330

445

685

885

1,330

720

885

1,030

1,155

265

350

545

700

1,050

380

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Table G : Point to Point Fixed Links Grid references for congested areas.

4 GHz Band

National Grid References for 25km x 25km areas

NX5075 NX7575 NY0075          
NY2525 NY5025            
SD5025 SD7525 SE0025 SE5025        
SD5000 SD7500 SE0000 SE2500 SE5000      
SJ5075 SJ7575 SJ0075 SK2575 SK5075      
SJ0050 SJ2550 SJ5050 SJ7550        
SJ0025 SJ2525 SJ5025 SJ7525 TF0025 TF2525    
SJ7500 SP0000 SJ2500 SJ5000 SJ7500 TF0000 TF2500  
SO7575 SP0075 SP2575 SP5075 SP7575 TL0075 TL2575  
SO7550 SP0050 SP2550 SP5075        
SO2500 SO5000 SO7500 SP0000 SP7500 TL0000 TL2500  
ST2575 ST5075 ST7550 SU5075 SU7575 TQ0075 TQ2575  
ST2550 ST5050 ST7575 SU5050 SU7550 TQ0050 TQ2550 TQ5050
SS5000              
SX0075 SX2575 SX5075 SX7575        
SX2550 SX5050 SX7550          

 

7.5 GHz Band

National Grid References for 25km x 25km areas

SE0050 SE2550 SE5075        
SD7525 SE0025 SE2525 SE5025      
SD5000 SD7500 SE0000 SE2500 SE5000    
SH2575 SJ5075 SJ7575 SK0075 SK2575    
SJ5050 SJ7550          
SJ7500 SK0000 SK2500 SK5000      
SP0075 SP2575 SP5075        
SP0050 SP2550 SP5050 SP7550 TL0050    
SP7525 TL0025 TL2525 TL5025      
SO7500 SP0000 SP7500 TL0000 TL2500 TL5000  
SU2575 SU5075 SU7575 TQ0075 TQ2575 TQ5075 TQ7550
SU2550 SU5050 SU7550 TQ0050 TQ2550 TQ5050  
SU5025 SU7525 TQ0025 TQ2550 TQ5025    

 

13/14 GHz band

National Grid References for 10km x 10km areas

NO000000 NO100000 NO200000                        
NO200100                            
NS300400 NS500400 NS600400 NS700400                      
NS300500 NS400500 NS500500 NS600500 NS700500 NS800500 NS900500                
NS300600 NS400600 NS500600 NS600600 NS700600 NS800600 NS900600 NT000600 NT100600 NT200600 NT300600        
NS400700 NS500700 NS600700 NS700700 NS800700 NS900700 NT000700 NT100700 NT200700 NT300700          
NS800800 NS900800 NT000800 NT100800 NT200800 NT300800                  
NS900900 NT000900 NT100900 NT200900                      
NW300100 NW400100 NW500100                        
NW300200 NW400200 NW500200 NZ100300 NZ200300 NZ300300                  
NW300300 NW400300 NW500300 NZ000400 NZ100400 NZ200400 NZ300400 NZ400400                 
NW400400 NW500400 NZ000500 NZ100500 NZ200500 NZ300500 NZ400500                  
NY000200 NZ100200 NZ200300 NZ300400                       
NZ000600 NZ100600 NZ200600 NZ300600 NZ400600                    
NZ100100 NZ200100 NZ300100                        
NZ100700 NZ200700 NZ300700                        
NZ300000                            
SD300000 SD400000 SD500000 SD600000 SD700000 SD800000 SD900000 SE000000 SE100000 SE200000 SE300000 SE400000 SE500000 SE600000 SE900000
TA000000 TA100000 TA200000 TA300000                      
SD400100 SD500100 SD600100 SD700100 SD800100 SD900100 SE000100 SE100100 SE200100 SE300100 SE400100 SE500100 SE900100 TA000100 TA100100
SD400200 SD500200 SD600200 SD700200 SD800200 SD900200 SE000200 SE100200 SE200200 SE300200 SE400200 SE500200 SE800200 SE900200 TA000200
TA 100200                            
SD400300 SD500300 SD600300 SE000300 SE100300 SE200300 SE300300 SE400300 SE500300 SE800300 SE900300 TA000300 TA100300    
SD400400 SD500400 SE000400 SE100400 SE200400 SE300400 SE400400 SE500400 SE600400 SE800400 SE900400 TA000400      
SD400500 SD500500 SE500500 SE600500                      
SJ200600 SJ300600 SJ400600 SJ500600 SJ600600 SJ700600 SJ800600 SJ900600 SK300600 SK400600 SK900600        
SJ200700 SJ300700 SJ400700 SJ500700 SJ600700 SJ700700 SJ800700 SJ900700 SK200700 SK300700 SK400700 SK500700 SK800700 SK900700 TF000700
TFI00700                            
SJ200800 SJ300800 SJ400800 SJ500800 SJ600800 SJ700800 SJ800800 SJ900800 SK000800 SK200800 SK300800 SK400800 SK500800 SK600800 SK800800
SK900800 TF000800 TFI00800 TF200800                      
SJ200900 SJ300900 SJ400900 SJ500900 SJ600900 SJ700900 SJ800900 SJ900900 SK000900 SK200900 SK300900 SK400900 SK500900 SK600900 SK800900
SK900900 TF000900 TF100900 TF200900 TF300900                  
SJ400500 SJ500500 SJ600500 SJ700500 SJ800500 SJ900500 SK300500 SK400500 SK500500 SK600500          
SJ700400 SJ800400 SJ900400 SK200400 SK300400 SK400400 SK500400 SK600400              
SJ800000 SJ900000 SK000000 SK100000 SK200000 SK300000 SK400000 SK500000 SK600000 TF000000 TG100000 TG200000 TG300000    
SJ800100 SJ900100 SK000100 SK100100 SK200100 SK300100 SK400100 SK500100 SK600100 TG100100 TG200100 TG300100      
SJ800200 SJ900200 SK000200 SK300200 SK400200 SK500200                  

 

 

SJ800300 SJ900300 SK200300 SK300300 SK400300 SK500300 SK600300                
SN500000 SN600000 SN700000 SO100000 SO600000 SO700000 SO800000 S0900000 SP400000 SP500000 SP600000 SP800000 SP900000 TL000000 TL100000
TL200000 TL300000 TL400000 TL500000 TL600000 TL700000                  
SO700200 S0800200 SO900200 SP500200 SP900200 TL000200 TL100200 TL200200 TL300200 TL400200 TM000200 TM100200      
SO700400 SP700400 SP800400 SP900400 TL000400 TL200400 TL300400 TL400400 TL600400 TL700400 TM000400 TM100400 TM200400    
SO800100 SO900100 SP000100 SP400100 SP500100 SP600100 SP900100 TL000100 TL100100 TL200100 TL300100 TL500100 TL600100 TL700100 TM000100
TM100100                            
SO800600 S0900600 SP000600 SP100600 SP200600 SP300600 SP400600 SP600600 SP700600 SP800600 SP900600 TL200600 TL300600 TL400600 TL500600
TL600600 TL700600                          
SO800700 S0900700 SP000700 SP100700 SP200700 SP300700 SP400700 SP700700 SP800700 SP900700 TL300700 TL400700 TL500700    
SO800800 SO900800 SP000800 SP100800 SP200800 SP300800 SP400800 TL000800 TL100800 TL200800 TL300800 TL400800 TL500800    
SO800900 SO900900 SP000900 SP100900 SP200900 SP300900 SP400900 SP500900 SP600900 TL000900 TL100900 TL200900 TM100900 TM200900  
SO900500 SP600500 SP700500 SP800500 SP900500 TL200500 TL300500 TL400500 TL500500 TL600500 TL700500 TM000500 TM100500    
SP800300 SP900300 TL000300 TL100300 TL200300 TL300300 TL900300 TM000300 TM100300 TM200300          
SS600900 SS700900 SS900900 ST000900 ST100900 ST200900 ST500900 ST600900 ST700900 SU100900 SU300900 SU400900 SU500900 SU600900 SU700900
SU800900 TQ000900 TQ100900 TQ200900 TQ300900 TQ400900 TQ500900 TQ600900 TQ700900            
SS700800 SS900800 ST000800 ST100800 ST200800 ST500800 ST600800 ST700800 SU600800 SU700800 SU800800 TQ000800 TQ100800 TQ200800 TQ300800
TQ400800 TQ500800 TQ600800                        
ST000600 ST400600 ST500600 ST600600 ST700600 ST800600 ST900600 SU600600 SU700600 SU800600 TQ000600 TQ100600 TQ200600 TQ300600 TQ400600
TQ500600 TQ600600                          
ST000700 ST100700 ST200700 ST400700 ST500700 ST600700 ST700700 ST800700 ST900700 SU000700 SU600700 SU700700 SU800700 TQ000700 TQ100700
TQ200700 TQ300700 TQ400700 TQ500700 TQ600700 TQ700700                  
ST400500 ST500500 ST600500 ST800500 SU700500 SU800500 TQ000500 TQ100500 TQ200500 TQ300500 TQ400500 TQ500500 TQ600500    
ST500100 ST600100 SU300100 SU400100 SU500100 SU600100 SU700100 SU800100              
SU300000 SU400000 SU500000 SU700000                      
SU300200 SU400200 SU500200 SU800200                      
SU300300 SU700300 SU800300                        
SU800400 TQ100400 TQ200400 TQ300400 TQ400400                    
SW900500 SX400500 SX500500                        
SX000600 SX300600 SX400600 SX500600                      
SX500400 SZ500900                          

 

New Fees for Public Networks and Telecommunications

<
Class of Licence Fixed Sums Variable Sums Interval of time for payment
Channel Islands and Isle of Man Cellular Telephone Operator £1,000