The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2024

Statutory Instruments

2024 No. 1318

Electronic Communications

The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2024

Made

10th December 2024

Coming into force

13th January 2025

The Office of Communications (“OFCOM”), in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 12, 13(2) and 122(7) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006(1) (“the Act”), makes the following Regulations.

Before making these Regulations, OFCOM have given notice of their proposal to do so in accordance with section 122(4)(a) of the Act, published notice of their proposal in accordance with section 122(4)(b) of the Act, and have considered the representations made to them before the time specified in the notice in accordance with section 122(4)(c) of the Act.

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and shall come into force on 13th January 2025.

Amendments to the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2020

2.—(1) Schedule 2 (Licence Charges and Payment Intervals) to the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2020(2) shall be amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5).

(2) Under the heading “Aeronautical”, after the licence class entry “Aircraft (Transportable)” insert the following entry—

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operator Radio Licence

£75

12 months

(3) Under the heading “Science and Technology”—

(a) after the licence class “Ground Probing Radar” delete the following entry—

High Duty Cycle Network Relay Points

£75

12 months

(b) after the licence class entry “Manually Configurable White Space Devices”, insert the following entry—

Enhanced Long Range Navigation (eLoran)

£200

12 months

(4) Under the heading “Spectrum Access” in relation to the licence classes “Shared Access (Low Power)”, for paragraph (d), before the licence class entry “Shared Access (Medium Power)”, substitute the following entry—

(d) £80 for each authorisation under a licence of use of a 100 MHz channel in the 24.45-27.5 GHz or 40.5-43.5 GHz bands.

12 months

(5) Under the heading “Spectrum Access” in relation to the licence classes “Shared Access (Medium Power)”, before the licence class entry “Spectrum Access Offshore Mobile”, insert the following entry—

(d) £80 for each authorisation under a licence of use of up to a 100 MHz channel in the 24.45-27.5 GHz or 40.5-43.5 GHz bands.

12 months

David Willis

Group Director, Spectrum Group

For and on behalf of the Office of Communications

10th December 2024

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1068, as amended by S.I. 2021/1117, S.I. 2022/1310 and S.I. 2023/400) (“the 2020 Regulations”).

These Regulations introduce charges for wireless telegraphy licences within the Spectrum Access 26 GHz and 40 GHz licence class.

These Regulations also amend the 2020 Regulations to introduce charges for use of the 90-110 kHz spectrum band for Enhanced Long-Range Navigation (eLoran) systems, and the use of a range of radio equipment on drones also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect of these Regulations is available on OFCOM’s website at www.ofcom.org.uk. Hard copies of this assessment can be obtained free of charge by writing to OFCOM at Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 9HA (tel. [phone]). Copies of this assessment have also been placed in the library of both Houses of Parliament.

(1)

2006 c. 36.

(2)

S.I. 2020/1068, as amended by S.I. 2021/1117, S.I. 2022/1310 and S.I. 2023/400.