The Bromley and District Amateur Radio Society

Ofcom announces delay to lifetime licences
by RSGB and OFCOM

Ofcom has announced that lifetime licenses and the reviewed license terms and conditions have been postponed until December 2006. However, amateur radio licenses will be issued free after 1 October, in accordance with the regulator’s earlier promise.

If your license is due for renewal after 1 October, you will receive a one year license validation document as usual from the Radio Licensing Centre, but no charge will be made. Ofcom will issue a lifetime license and the revised licensing terms and conditions in December, again without charge.

Free lifetime licenses will be subject to validation at least every five years via the Ofcom web site. For those unable or unwilling to validate their details electronically, it will be possible to send the details by traditional means but a £20 administration fee will be levied.

As previously reported, Ofcom has substantially revised the amateur radio license terms and conditions. Changes include abolishing the need to maintain a log book, allowing amateurs to operate a station by remote control, substantial alterations to emergency operations and the recognition of a number of additional user services. It will also no longer be mandatory to identify operation with /P, /M or /MM, but the alternative address suffix /A has been re-introduced.