The Telecommunications (Licence Modification) (Mobile Public Telecommunication Operators) Regulations 1999

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the telecommunications licences granted to Vodafone Limited (Vodafone), Telecom Securicor Radio Limited (BT Cellnet), Mercury Personal Communications Limited, Orange Personal Communications Services Limited and Dolphin Telecommunications Limited under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 on 9 December 1993, 22 March 1994, 9 May 1995, 27 July 1995 and 31 December 1997 respectively for the provision of mobile radio telecommunication services. The Schedules to the Telecommunications (Licence Modification) (Standard Schedules) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/2450) replace the Schedules to the licences, subject to certain specific amendments. The licences are being amended as part of the implementation in the United Kingdom of Directive 97/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on a common framework for general authorisations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications (O.J. No. L199, 26.7.97, p.32), which requires that conditions in all telecommunications licences of a similar type should be harmonised, except where objectively justified in particular instances.

In the case of Vodafone and BT Cellnet the Regulations provide that where, prior to the coming into force of these Regulations, they were required under their respective licences to provide mobile radio telecommunication services to service providers they shall continue to provide such services to such persons either until the Director General of Telecommunications makes a determination in respect of each of them under Part F of their licences as modified as to whether they have market influence or until 31 March 2000, whichever is the sooner.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment is available and can be obtained from Communications and Information Industries Directorate, Department of Trade and Industry, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SS.

The licences modified by these Regulations may be inspected at the Library of the Office of Telecommunications (OFTEL), 50 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JJ.