[UK-CONTEST] RSGB and deregulation

[Colin G3PSM]

Morning all,

Having just returned from a couple of weeks in warmer climes I find 
rather a large number of emails to catch up with, however I will take 
this particular subject out of turn.

Firstly, the RSGB are not intent on opposing Ofcom at every juncture, 
far from it.   The main problem is that the Ofcom proposals outlined in 
Draft 4 of the consultation document for Future Amateur Licencing at the 
end of 2004 and which the Society were relatively happy with, changed 
dramatically by Draft 11 of February 2005.   The Draft 4 proposals put 
forward 4 options -

1)   Complete deregulation
2)   Long term licences (say 10 years)
3)   Lifetime licences
4)   Do nothing

The wording of Draft 4 was such that equal precedence was given to each 
option.   The concerns of the Society were that complete deregulation 
would mean the end of amateur radio as we all know and love (?).   Ofcom 
admitted that the "do nothing" option was in fact not an option as they 
are directed under the Communications Act of 2003 "to ease the 
regulatory burden".

Draft 11 was blatant in that although the same four options were shown 
Ofcom made it known that their "preferred" option was for lifetime 
licences irrespective of what "consultations" might take place.

Now while the prospect of lifetime licences may seem ideal, you dont get 
'owt for n'owt.   The staff currently dealing with amateur radio matters 
are scheduled to return to the DTI by the end of this year and there are 
currently no plans to replace them.   The old Radio Investigation 
Service, more recently known as the Enforcement Branch has been 
decimated with over a 100 employees made redundant in the past few 
months.   The research laboratories at Whyteleaf has been closed down 
and any research will be contracted out.   The contract with the Radio 
Licencing Centre, a subsidiary of the Post Office ended in March, but 
because of lack of any replacement licencing structure the contract has 
been extended to September 2006.   Ships licencing is currently in a 
similar form of flux and will no longer carried out by the Radio 
Licencing Centre while aircraft licencing is carried out by the CAA.   
This leaves 23 employees at the RLC in Bristol with responsibilities for 
annual issuing of 65,000 amateur licences and around 20,000 CB licences. 
  This cannot be economically viable and the Post Office with its 
current deficits must be aware of this.

The Society can, and is willing to take on amateur radio licencing, but 
there is some speculation that this might cause a conflict of interest. 
  The Society now carries out the required examinations on behalf of the 
regulator and we have recently been asked to provide these examinations 
for countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia.   Can we provide these 
services together with licencing and be truly representative?   It's a 
difficult situation made worse by prevarication within Ofcom.

My apologies to Tom GM4FDM whose email arrived while I was typing this 
missive, but I felt a response was necessary before more misinformation 
was spread.

73

Colin, G3PSM
 
-- 

Colin J. Thomas, G3PSM

Spectrum Director

Radio Society of Great Britain

http://www.g3psm.net

Mobile: +44 (07759) 548982

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Keith Banks wrote:

>Hi to all,
>
>Clive wrote,
>
>5B4AGN wrote
>
>
><From what I've heard, I think RSGB administering licences would be about
>the
>best outcome we can hope for.>
>
>
>{Bob
>
>I didn't say that in my original message, just fence sitting I guess.
>However, I concur entirely. The problem is that RSGB seem intent on opposing
>Ofcom at every juncture, and methinks that they ( Ofcom) are getting teed
>off about that. After all who can blame them when a licence for life is
>opposed? In my experience, there are situations where one must just
>recognise force majeure, and as our American cousins so wisely opine " just
>deal with it". I am certain that some sort of deregulation WILL occur
>whether we like it or not, and we'd just better formulate a strategy to
>minimise any adverse fall out. The words change or die once again spring
>into my mind.
>
>Anyone copying at RSGB? }
>
>Clive and Bob I totaly agree with you, anybody else agree?
>
>Keith  G0DAY
>
>
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