Communications Act 2003

Preliminary

211 Regulation of independent television services

(1) It shall be a function of OFCOM to regulate the following services in accordance with this Act, the 1990 Act and the 1996 Act—

(a) services falling within subsection (2) that are provided otherwise than by the BBC or the Welsh Authority; and

(b) services falling within subsection (3) that are provided otherwise than by the BBC.

(2) The services referred to in subsection (1)(a) are—

(a) television broadcasting services that are provided from places in the United Kingdom with a view to their being broadcast otherwise than only from a satellite;

(b) television licensable content services that are provided by persons under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom for the purposes of the Television without Frontiers Directive;

(c) digital television programme services that are provided by persons under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom for the purposes of that Directive;

(d) restricted television services that are provided from places in the United Kingdom; and

(e) additional television services that are provided from places in the United Kingdom.

(3) The services referred to in subsection (1)(b) are—

(a) television multiplex services that are provided from places in the United Kingdom; and

(b) digital additional television services that are provided by persons under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom for the purposes of the Television without Frontiers Directive.

212 Abolition of function of assigning television frequencies

The Secretary of State shall cease to have any function under the 1990 Act or the 1996 Act of assigning frequencies for the purposes of any of the following—

(a) services falling to be licensed under Part 1 of the 1990 Act;

(b) S4C; or

(c) television multiplex services falling to be licensed under Part 1 of the 1996 Act.

213 Abolition of licensing for local cable systems

On and after the television transfer date no licence shall be required under Part 2 of the 1990 Act for the provision of a local delivery service.