The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 1995

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations provide for fees to be paid in relation to wireless telegraphy licences granted under section 1 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (c. 54).

The Regulations revoke and replace the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/542) as amended by the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/362), the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/659) and the Wireless Telegraphy Licence Charges (Amendment) Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1995/244).

The Regulations change the level and structure of some of the fees prescribed for certain licence classes to update those fees. Fees are now prescribed for 48 classes of licence.

Major changes are that the Land Mobile and Paging sectors have been reorganised into sectors called Public Mobile Radio and Private Mobile Radio. The Broadcasting Services and Programme Making and Special Events sectors have been merged into a sector called Broadcasting and Ancillary Services.

Some licence classes have been merged together and some classes have been renamed. A new Public Mobile Operator licence class replaces six previous Land Mobile Radio classes (National Wide Area Paging, Band III Private Mobile Radio National Trunked Service, Band III Private Mobile Radio Regional Trunked Service, National Public Data Network Service, National Public Radio-telephone System and Personal Communications Network). A new Maritime Coastal Station licence class replaces three previous Maritime classes (Maritime Business Radio, Maritime Business Radio (Base Station only) and Port Operations Radio).

In addition three new licence classes have been created (Independent Programme Maker’s Six Hour, Point to Multi-Point Services 31.00—31.80 GHz and Sporting and Other Public Events (Miscellaneous)). The Radiating Cable licence class has been merged with the Private Mobile Radio (Standard) licence class. The Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio Novice A and B licence classes have been merged into single Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio Novice licence classes. The 58GHz Band Radio Relay Link licence class has been renamed Un-coordinated Links and the Local Wide Area Paging licence class has been renamed Private Wide Area Paging. The Temporary Fixed Link licence class has been merged with the Fixed Link (previously Point to Point Relay Link) licence class. The Long Range Alarms and Telemetry, Telecommand and Teleapproach Radio licence classes have been withdrawn.

The Regulations refer to the “Coverage of Independent National and Local Radio Stations” list in connection with Transmission of National and Local Radio Broadcasting Services Licences and also to the table of international maritime channels in Appendix 18 to the 1990 Edition of the Radio Regulations in connection with Maritime Coastal Station Licences. Copies of the list and the table may be obtained, free of charge, from the Librarian, Radiocommunications Agency at Waterloo Bridge House, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8UA, until the end of August 1995 and thereafter at South Quay Three, 189 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SX (regulation 3).

The Regulations extend the range of licences for which qualifying charities can claim a fee discount. In providing for concessionary fees for charities the Regulations refer to the Association of Guernsey Charities and the Association of Jersey Charities. The addresses of these Associations are c/o Guernsey Chamber of Commerce, States Arcade, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, and c/o Dover House, Domaine des Vaux, St. Lawrence, Jersey, respectively (regulation 5).

The Wireless Telegraphy (Television Licence Fees) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/436) as amended provide for the fees to be paid in respect of television licences.