Restricted television service licences

List of licence holders and Ofcom's statement on existing restricted service licences

Ofcom has issued a number of location-based RTS licences (RTSLs) in various locations around the United Kingdom which enable licensees to broadcast over a limited region (and in some cases for the duration of short term events) on analogue spectrum. As digital switchover progresses (DSO) throughout the UK and regions switch from analogue to digital broadcasting w e have recently received a number of requests from these licensees asking for licence variations to permit digital broadcasting.

Ofcom published its statement on the Digital Dividend Review on 13 December 2007 setting out its decisions on how the radio spectrum that will be freed-up through DSO will be awarded for new uses. In that statement w e acknowledge that such licence variations could help local television operators to develop a business case for securing spectrum by allowing them to use their existing licences to test and develop digital transmissions. Therefore we have decided, subject to technical and legal feasibility and international coordination, to consider such requests to permit digital transmissions until DSO or, in exceptional circumstances, the award of the digital dividend.

Short duration or event RTSLs for digital transmission will also be available on request, subject to spectrum being available. All technical, planning, capital and operational costs will need to be met by the licensee. For the avoidance of doubt, access to the spectrum for digital transmissions would be purely on a temporary basis and would not create a legitimate expectation of continued use following DSO or, where relevant, the award of the digital dividend.

Previously the RSTLs were issued for a period of four years, and then re-advertised before being re-issued. In 2005 Ofcom carried out detailed work on the prospects for digital local television following on from the recommendations in the Public Service Television Review. The Digital Local report was published in January 2006 setting out the results of this work. As part of the Digital Local work, we offered to extend all existing RTS licences so they remain valid until a date shortly before the digital switchover timetable in each region begins. As explained above, we have now proposed in our DDR statement that this date may be extended, by a further licence variation, to the award of the digital dividend in exceptional circumstances and where technically and legally possible the option will be available to vary existing RSLs to allow digital transmissions instead of analogue transmissions. All other terms and conditions of the licences remain unchanged.

19/12/2007