Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Wireless Telegraphy (Licence Charges) Regulations 1991 (S.I. 1991/542) (“the principal Regulations”), which 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 change the level and structure of some of the fees prescribed for certain licence types to up-date those fees, by substituting for the Schedule to the principal Regulations Schedule 2 to these Regulations (regulation 5). Fees are increased in respect of 14 licence types and reduced in respect of one licence type. The fees for the Fixed Satellite Service category of licence have been restructured and provision has been made for a fee to be paid on the issue of additional links in the re-named Fixed Point to Point Radio-Relay Link licence (formerly named Fixed Microwave Radio-Relay Link, a licence category which has been expanded). The fees for Band III Private Mobile Radio National Trunked Service licences are no longer prescribed by regulations but are set individually under regulation 7. Fees are now prescribed for 50 types of licence.

In addition, these Regulations expand the reference to a link of a class set out in regulation 3(4) of the principal Regulations to include the frequency band or bands relevant to the class (regulation 3).

The Regulations also up-date the list in regulation 3(6) of the principal Regulations, “Coverage of Independent Local Radio Stations”, referred to in connection with the fee prescribed for Transmission of Local Broadcasting Services licences (regulation 3).