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Ofcom is launching a revolution in business radio licensing in the UK. It's aim is to increase flexibility, simplify administration and extend spectrum trading. Paul Jarvis, of Ofcom, outlines the new arrangements.
In January 2007, Ofcom announced plans to simplify the way that business radio is licensed. Coming into effect in early 2008, these plans will reduce red tape for thousands of licensees, and will increase flexibility and extend spectrum trading for businesses.
Ofcom's Spectrum Framework Review set out a market-led approach to spectrum management and a move away from the traditional command and control model. Ofcom believes that realising the full value of spectrum is only possible when possible when users can use spectrum flexibly.
It is one of Ofcom's principal statutory duties to secure the optimal use of the UK's finite spectrum resource. This is based on Ofcom's principles of Spectrum management: technology neutrality, deregulationand spectrum trading. Technology neutrality refers to making the spectrum available without the regulator dictating how it will be used.
Ofcom seeks to deregulate wherever possible, provided that measures are in place to limit interference. These principles are applied throughout the changes to business radio licensing.
NEW LICENCE CLASSES
Ofcom has changed business radio licensing from 21 different licence classes, each with it's own, often complex, set of fee arrangements, to three basic licence types: Light Licences, Area Defined Licences and Technically Assigned Licences.
- Light Licences are those that do not require co-ordination with other spectrum users. They allow access to a range of channels with basic technical restrictions to minimise interference. Within this category, the three types of licence include Simple Site, Simple UK and Suppliers Licences, to reflect their specific uses.
- Area Defined Licences allow spectrum to be managed by licensees within broad geographical boundaries. These licences cover the whole of the UK, one or more nations (England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) or a region down to 50-kilometer grid squares, allowing exclusive use of frequencies within the licensed geographical area. Spectrum masks will have to be in place, along with boundary conditions. In this this category of licence, there will not be limits on base station deployments or numbers within the licence area.
- Technically assigned Licences are designed for dedicated or specialist services at a specific location or local area. These licences are held on an on-site basis to a wide coverage area on either a shared or exclusive spectrum basis with technical assignment and coordination undertaken by Ofcom. The technical specification and location of base strations are defined by Ofcom but there is no limit on the potential number of mobiles.
The change means that existing restrictions on the type of technology and use will be removed within each category, freeing use of the spectrum. However, minimal technical conditions will remain in place to protect against harmful interference.
NEXT STEPS
These new measures will simplify the licensing process for thousands of business radio users. By allowing spectrum trading to enable licensees to use the spectrum flexibly, Ofcom hopes to maximise the efficient use of the spectrum, a valuable and finite UK resource.
For ETS customers, they can rest assured that all of their licensing requirements, applications and paperwork will be completed by our experienced staff so that however the changes effect you, you needn't have to worry about applying for the correct licence or completing the paperwork correctly which can be very daunting. |
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