- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
Communications Act 2003
You are here:
What Version
Advanced Features
- Show Geographical Extent(e.g. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Show Timeline of Changes
Opening Options
Changes to legislation:
Communications Act 2003, Section 293 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 18 February 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 293:
- s. 148A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 73(2)
- s. 204A-204C substituted for s. 204-206 by 2024 c. 15 s. 32(2)
- s. 264(10A)(10B) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 1(3)
- s. 270(3)(ca) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(3)
- s. 270(4A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(4)
- s. 270(7A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(7)
- s. 278A inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 10
- s. 351(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(2)(b)
- s. 351(5)(aa) substituted for s. 351(5)(a) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(3)(a)
- s. 353(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 59(2)(b)
- s. 368E(5)(d)(e) inserted by 2017 c. 30 s. 94(3)
- s. 402(2A)(za)(zb) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 2
- Sch. 3A para. 21(6) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(5)(b)
- Sch. 3A para. 37(3)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(9)
- Sch. 3A para. 84(1)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(10)
- Sch. 3A para. 103(1)(ca) inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 70
- Sch. 3A para. 119A inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 72
- Sch. 3A Pt. 4ZA inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 67(1)
- Sch. 12 para. 1(15) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 1(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 4(2A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 52(4)
- Sch. 12 para. 7(14) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 2(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 3(6)-(7B) substituted for Sch. 12 para. 3(6)(7) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 51(4)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 148A and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 73(2)
- s. 204A-204C substituted for s. 204-206 by 2024 c. 15 s. 32(2)
- s. 264(10A)(10B) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 1(3)
- s. 270(3)(ca) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(3)
- s. 270(4A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(4)
- s. 270(7A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 6(7)
- s. 278A inserted by 2024 c. 15 s. 10
- s. 351(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(2)(b)
- s. 351(5)(aa) substituted for s. 351(5)(a) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 58(3)(a)
- s. 353(4)(aa) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 2 para. 59(2)(b)
- s. 368E(5)(d)(e) inserted by 2017 c. 30 s. 94(3)
- s. 402(2A)(za)(zb) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 2
- Sch. 3A para. 21(6) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(5)(b)
- Sch. 3A para. 37(3)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(9)
- Sch. 3A para. 84(1)(aza) inserted by 2022 c. 46 Sch. para. 3(10)
- Sch. 3A para. 103(1)(ca) inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 70
- Sch. 3A para. 119A inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 72
- Sch. 3A Pt. 4ZA inserted by 2022 c. 46 s. 67(1)
- Sch. 12 para. 1(15) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 1(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 4(2A) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 52(4)
- Sch. 12 para. 7(14) inserted by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 1 para. 2(10)
- Sch. 12 para. 3(6)-(7B) substituted for Sch. 12 para. 3(6)(7) by 2024 c. 15 Sch. 4 para. 51(4)
293Review of approved networking arrangements etc.U.K.
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes
(1)It shall be the duty of OFCOM from time to time to carry out general reviews of the networking arrangements (whether approved or imposed by OFCOM) that are in force.
(2)The first such review must be carried out no later than six months after the date on which the offers made under section 215(1) close or (if those offers close on different dates) the latest of those dates.
(3)Every subsequent review must be carried out no more than [F1one year] [F1five years] after the previous one.
(4)OFCOM may also, at any other time, carry out a review of whether those arrangements continue to satisfy one of the two competition tests set out in paragraph 6 of Schedule 11.
(5)If, on a review under this section, OFCOM are satisfied that modifications are required of the networking arrangements for the time being in force, they may—
(a)require the holders of regional Channel 3 licences to give effect to the modifications proposed by OFCOM; or
(b)in the case of arrangements imposed by OFCOM, make those modifications themselves.
(6)OFCOM must not exercise any of their powers under this Act or the 1990 Act so as to modify the requirements imposed on the holder of a regional Channel 3 licence by approved networking arrangements that are already in force except—
(a)following a review under this section; or
(b)with the consent of the licence holder.
(7)The regulatory regime for every Channel 3 service includes the conditions that OFCOM consider appropriate for securing that the licence holder does all that he can to ensure that modifications proposed by OFCOM under this section are given effect to.
(8)In this section “approved networking arrangements” has the same meaning as in section 291.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 293(3) substituted (23.8.2024 for specified purposes) by Media Act 2024 (c. 15), ss. 15(5), 55(3)(a); S.I. 2024/858, reg. 3, Sch.
Commencement Information
I1S. 293 in force at 29.12.2003 by S.I. 2003/3142, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 11)
Options/Help
Print Options
PrintThe Whole Act
PrintThe Whole Part
PrintThe Whole Chapter
PrintThe Whole Cross Heading
PrintThis Section only
You have chosen to open The Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules as a PDF
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open the Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open the Whole Act without Schedules
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open Schedules only
The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Legislation is available in different versions:
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
See additional information alongside the content
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Opening Options
Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once
Explanatory Notes
Text created by the government department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.
More Resources
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- correction slips
- links to related legislation and further information resources
Timeline of Changes
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
More Resources
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- correction slips
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- links to related legislation and further information resources
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the EUR-Lex public statement on re-use.