Communications Act 2003

Determination of applications

5 (1) This paragraph applies where, in response to a notice under paragraph 1, a person has made an application for a licence to provide the public teletext service.

(2) OFCOM must not proceed to consider whether to award the applicant the licence in accordance with the following provisions of this paragraph unless it appears to them—

(a) that the applicant’s technical plan, in so far as it involves the use of an electronic communications network, contains proposals that are acceptable to them;

(b) that the applicant’s proposals with respect to the matters mentioned in paragraph 3(1)(c) to (e) are acceptable to them; and

(c) that the services proposed to be provided under the licence would be capable of being maintained throughout the period for which the licence would be in force.

(3) In determining whether it appears to them as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2), OFCOM must take account of any representations made to them in response to the invitation published under paragraph 4.

(4) Sections 17 and 17A of the 1990 Act (award of licence to highest cash bidder and financial conditions) apply in relation to a licence to provide the public teletext service as they apply in relation to a Channel 3 licence, but with the modifications set out in sub-paragraphs (5) and (6).

(5) In the application of section 17 of the 1990 Act in accordance with sub-paragraph (4)—

(a) any reference to an applicant is to be construed as a reference to an applicant in whose case it appears to OFCOM as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2);

(b) the provisions of subsection (4) down to the end of paragraph (b) are to be omitted;

(c) in subsection (7)(a), the reference to section 19(1) of the 1990 Act is to be construed as a reference to paragraph 7 of this Schedule;

(d) subsection (12) shall have effect with the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (b)—

“(b) the name of every other applicant in whose case it appeared to OFCOM as mentioned in paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 10 to the Communications Act 2003;”

(e) in subsection (14), the references to a notice under section 15(1) of the 1990 Act and a notice under Part 1 of that Act shall each have effect as a reference to a notice under paragraph 1 of this Schedule.

(6) In the application of section 17A of the 1990 Act in accordance with sub-paragraph (4)—

(a) the reference in subsection (1)(b) to section 15(3)(g) of the 1990 Act shall have effect as a reference to paragraph 3(1)(g) of this Schedule; and

(b) the reference in subsection (3) to a notice under section 15(1) of the 1990 Act shall have effect as a reference to a notice under paragraph 1 of this Schedule.