The Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 2020

Made: 30th September 2020

Coming into force: 21st October 2020

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) Regulations 2020 and shall come into force on 21st October 2020.

Interpretation

2

• (1) In these Regulations—

• “the 2000 Regulations” means the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadband Fixed Wireless Access Licences) Regulations 2000[^f00003];

• “the 2007 Regulations” means the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Award) (No. 2) Regulations 2007;

• “the 2012 Regulations” means the Wireless Telegraphy (Spectrum Trading) Regulations 2012[^f00004];

• “the Act” means the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006;

• “apparatus” means apparatus for wireless telegraphy;

• “Band I” means the band 55.750—68.00 MHz, with the exception of the sub-bands 60.750—62.750 MHz and 67.750—67.8375 MHz;

• “base station” means a station which facilitates or controls communications between a mobile station and—itself;another mobile station;a fixed mobile station; orany electronic communications network;

• “channel” means a part of the electromagnetic spectrum intended to be used for a transmission of signals and defined by—two specified frequency limits;its centre frequency and the associated bandwidth; oran indication equivalent to (a) or (b);

• “co-channel” means apparatus operating in an identical frequency or channel;

• “core London area” means the area within a circle which has a 22 kilometre radius from Charing Cross, London, which is located at grid square reference TQ 302 805;

• “cross-polar” means the use of orthogonal polarisation to permit the re-use of identical frequencies or channels in the same area;

• “earth station” means a radio station situated either on the earth’s surface or within the earth’s atmosphere and is intended for communication with one or more—radio stations which are situated beyond, or are intended to be situated beyond, the earth’s atmosphere; orradio stations of the same kind by means of one or more reflecting satellites or other objects in space;

• “erp” means effective radiated power of transmission;

• “exclusive basis” means authorised use of a channel which is not shared with any other licensee;

• “fixed link” means a connection by wireless telegraphy designed for use between two fixed points;

• “fixed mobile station” means a control point configured to operate in the manner of a mobile station;

• “Geographic Region” means any one of the Regions A to N as described in Part 1 of the Schedule to the 2000 Regulations;

• “grid square” means a National Grid square of the 2nd series of Landranger maps published by the Ordnance Survey;

• “heavy congestion area” means such part of the British Islands being in an area listed in Schedule 8 and identified by reference to a grid square which is considered by OFCOM to have a heavily congested use of the electromagnetic spectrum for a specified class of licence;

• “high population area” means such part of the British Islands being in an area listed in Schedule 5 and identified by reference to a grid square which is considered by OFCOM to have a high proportion of the population;

• “high usage bands” mean either of UHF Band I and II and the VHF High Band;

• “hub” means a single fixed site connected to more than one fixed station via wireless telegraphy links operating in the same frequency bands;

• “large coverage area” means—in relation to a Coastal Station Radio (International) licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting one or more of—erp greater than or equal to 24 Watts where antenna height is greater than or equal to 10 metres above mean sea level;erp greater than or equal to 10 Watts where antenna height is greater than or equal to 20 metres above mean sea level;erp greater than or equal to 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than or equal to 30 metres above mean sea level;in relation to a Coastal Station Radio (UK) licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting—erp greater than 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 10 metres above ground level; orerp less than or equal to 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 30 metres above ground level; andin relation to any other licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting one or more of—erp greater than 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 10 metres above ground level;erp less than or equal to 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 30 metres above ground level;transmission within a circular area which has a radius greater than 15 kilometres but less than or equal to 30 kilometres;

• “licence” means a wireless telegraphy licence;

• “light congestion area” means such part of the British Islands being in an area listed in Schedule 8 and identified by reference to a grid square which is considered by OFCOM to have a lightly congested use of the electromagnetic spectrum for a specified class of licence;

• “low population area” means such part of the British Islands being an area listed in Schedule 5 and identified by reference to a grid square which is considered by OFCOM to have a low proportion of the population;

• “low usage bands” mean the band 133 kHz—147 kHz, the 26.225 MHz band, the 49.49375 MHz band, VHF Band I and the VHF Low Band;

• “medium congestion area” means such part of the British Islands being in an area listed in Schedule 8 and identified by reference to a grid square which is considered by OFCOM to have a medium level of congested use of the electromagnetic spectrum for a specified class of licence;

• “medium coverage area” means—in relation to a Coastal Station Radio (International) licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting one or more of—erp greater than 10 Watts where antenna height is less than 10 metres above mean sea level;erp greater than 7 Watts but less than 24 Watts where antenna height is greater than 5 metres above mean sea level but less than 20 metres above mean sea level;erp greater than 3 Watts but less than 10 Watts where antenna height is greater than 10 metres above mean sea level but less than 30 metres above mean sea level;erp greater than 1.5 Watts but less than 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 20 metres above mean sea level;erp less than 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 30 metres above mean sea level;in relation to a Coastal Station Radio (UK) licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting—erp less than or equal to 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 10 metres above ground level and less than or equal to 30 metres above ground level; orerp greater than 5 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 10 metres above ground level; andin relation to any other licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting one or more of—erp less than or equal to 5 Watts where antenna height is greater than 10 metres above ground level and less than or equal to 30 metres above ground level;erp greater than 5 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 10 metres above ground level;transmission within a circular area which has a radius greater than 3 kilometres but less than or equal to 15 kilometres;

• “medium frequency” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 531 kHz and 1602 kHz;

• “medium population area” means such part of the British Islands being an area listed in Schedule 5 and identified by reference to a grid square which is considered by OFCOM to have a medium proportion of the population;

• “medium usage bands” mean VHF Band III and the VHF Mid Band;

• “medium wave broadcasting band” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 526.5 kHz and 1606.5 kHz;

• “mobile station” means a station (other than a base station) intended to be used while in motion or during halts at unspecified points;

• “national channel” means a channel which the licensee is authorised to use throughout the United Kingdom;

• “non-congestion area” means such part of the British Islands being in an area listed in Schedule 8 and identified by reference to a grid square which is considered by OFCOM not to have a congested use of the electromagnetic spectrum for a specified class of licence;

• “OFCOM” means the Office of Communications;

• “outer London area” means all of the area, other than the core London area, which is within a circle having a 112 kilometre radius from Charing Cross, London, which is located at grid square reference TQ 302 805;

• “prescribed payment interval” has the meaning given by regulation 4(1);

• “prescribed sum” means a fixed sum or a variable sum which is payable to OFCOM under regulation 4(1)(c) or (d);

• “prescribed time” means the time when a sum is payable to OFCOM under regulation 4(1);

• “shared basis” means authorised use of a channel which is shared with another licensee;

• “slot” means the smallest unit of the electromagnetic spectrum used in the construction of a frequency plan, such that all bands, sub-bands, blocks and channels which are used in such plan are integer multiples of the slot size;

• “small coverage area” means—in relation to a Coastal Station Radio (International) licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting one or more of—erp less than or equal to 10 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 5 metres above mean sea level;erp less than or equal to 7 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 10 metres above mean sea level;erp less than or equal to 3 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 20 metres above mean sea level;erp less than or equal to 1.5 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 30 metres above mean sea level;in relation to a Coastal Station Radio (UK) licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting erp less than or equal to 5 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 10 metres above ground level; andin relation to any other licence an area within which wireless telegraphy is authorised under a licence condition permitting one or more of—erp less than or equal to 5 Watts where antenna height is less than or equal to 10 metres above ground level;transmission within a circular area which has a radius less than or equal to 3 kilometres;

• “station” means a station for wireless telegraphy;

• “UHF Band I and II” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 410 MHz and 470 MHz;

• “VHF Band I” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 55.75 MHz and 68.0 MHz;

• “VHF Band III” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 177.20625 MHz and 207.49375 MHz;

• “VHF broadcasting band” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 87.5 MHz and 108.0 MHz;

• “VHF High Band” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 165.04375 MHz and 173.09375 MHz;

• “VHF Low Band” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 68.08125 MHz and 87.49375 MHz; and

• “VHF Mid Band” means that part of the electromagnetic spectrum between 137.96250 MHz and 165.04375 MHz.

• (2) Where these Regulations provide for the prescribed sum to be calculated by reference to a number of any of the following things—

• (a) base stations;

• (b) channels;

• (c) congestion areas;

• (d) fixed links;

• (e) grid squares;

• (f) mobile stations;

• (g) national channels;

• (h) population;

• (i) regional channels;

• (j) slots;

• (k) stations,

the number shall be taken to be the number the use of which is authorised by the licence at the pre-scribed time.

• (3) In relation to a Transmission of National and Local Radio Broadcasting Services licence and a Community Radio licence, a reference to the licensee’s coverage is a reference to the total population covered by the transmitters which the licensee is authorised to use in the medium wave broadcasting band or the VHF broadcasting band (as the case may be) as specified in the licence granted to the licensee, and “covered” shall be construed accordingly.

• (4) In relation to a Coastal Station Radio (International) licence, a Coastal Station Radio (UK) licence, a Coastal Station Radio (International) Area Defined licence and a Coastal Station Radio (UK) Area Defined licence—

• (a) “excluded channels” means—

• (i) channels 0 (156.000 MHz), 00 (160.600 MHz), 10 (156.500 MHz), 67 (156.375 MHz) and 73 (156.675 MHz) and the channel on 161.225 MHz, when used solely to assist Her Majesty’s Coastguard, and when used solely to assist the Secretary of State with oil pollution control activities; and

• (ii) channels 6 (156.300 MHz), 8 (156.400 MHz), 13 (156.650 MHz), 15 (156.750 MHz), 16 (156.800 MHz), 17 (156.850 MHz), 23 (157.150 and 161.750 MHz), 70 (156.525 MHz), 72 (156.625 MHz), 75 (156.775 MHz), 76 (156.825 MHz), 77 (156.875 MHz), 84 (157.225 and 161.825 MHz) and 86 (157.325 and 161.925 MHz); and

• (b) a reference to an international maritime channel means a channel specified in the table in Appendix 18 to the 2020 edition of the Radio Regulations.

• (5) In relation to a Programme Making and Special Events Fixed Site licence, a Programme Making and Special Events Link licence, a Programme Making and Special Events Low Power licence, a UK Wireless Microphone (Annual) licence and a UK Wireless Microphone (Biennial) licence—

• (a) “area” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to an area with a population coverage below three million individuals;

• (b) “designated website” means OFCOM’s website address (at www.ofcom.org.uk) or at such other website address as may be notified by OFCOM to persons who, in their opinion, are likely to be affected by any change of address by publishing such a notice on OFCOM’s website, www.ofcom.org.uk;

• (c) “multi use type (1)” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to a maximum of 60 periods with each such period not exceeding 48 hours;

• (d) “multi use type (2)” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to a maximum of 480 periods with each such period not exceeding 48 hours;

• (e) “occasional use” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to a period not exceeding 48 hours;

• (f) “premium case” means a case where at the applicant’s request a licence is granted or varied outside office hours; and for the purposes of this definition “office hours” means 09.00 to 17.00 hours from Monday to Friday other than on a day which is a bank holiday in England and Wales;

• (g) “primary” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to use at any time;

• (h) “programme making” includes the making of a programme for broadcast, the making of a film presentation, advertisement or audio or video tape, and the staging or performance of an entertainment, sporting or other public event;

• (i) “programme sound link” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to a channel used to transmit the material produced in programme making from a fixed transmission station to a fixed receiving station;

• (j) “restricted service programme sound link” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to a channel used to transmit the material produced in programme making from a fixed transmission station to a fixed receiving station where the transmission is for a period not exceeding thirty consecutive days;

• (k) “secondary” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to use when the channel or band is not being used by another licensee under a licence which authorises such use as a primary channel;

• (l) “shared” in relation to a channel specified in such a licence refers to use at the same time as such a channel may be used by a licensee under another licence; and

• (m) “variation” in relation to such a licence refers to the addition of a channel to the channel specified in such licence;

and for the purpose of determining “population coverage” as referred to above, reference shall be made as appropriate to—

• (i) the estimated mid-year resident population for England and Wales for 2000 as shown in the “Office for National Statistics Population Estimates Mid-2000 for England and Wales” published in August 2001;

• (ii) the estimated mid-year resident population for Scotland for 2000 as shown in the “Mid-Year Population Estimates, Scotland” published in June 2001; and

• (iii) the estimated mid-year resident population for Northern Ireland for 2000 as shown in the “Annual Report of the Registrar General for Northern Ireland” published in November 2001.

• (6) In relation to a Satellite (Earth Station Network) licence “network” means a one-way or two-way service from any number of earth station terminals to a single geo-stationary orbit satellite transponder transmitting in the earth to space direction.

• (7) In relation to an Aeronautical Station (Aerodrome Surface and Operational Control) licence, an Aeronautical Station (Aeronautical Broadcast) licence, an Aeronautical Station (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) licence, an Aeronautical Station (Air/Ground, Aerodrome Flight Information Service and Tower) licence, an Aeronautical Station (Approach) licence, an Aeronautical Station (Area Control) licence, an Aeronautical Station (Offshore) licence and an Aeronautical Station (Very High Frequency Data Link) licence—

• (a) “area service” means a two-way wireless telegraphy service between a ground station and an aircraft which is authorised under a licence within a designated operational coverage in which the horizontal plane is polygonal in shape;

• (b) “aeronautical broadcast service” means a one-way wireless telegraphy service from a ground station which is authorised under a licence within a designated operational coverage in which the horizontal plane is circular in shape;