Editing Ofcom (section)

===Spectrum licensing and protection===

Ofcom is responsible for the management, regulation, assignment and licensing of the [[electromagnetic spectrum]] in the UK, and licenses portions of it for use in television and radio broadcasts, mobile phone transmissions,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Ultimate Guide to 5G {{!}} Bytes Digital |url=https://www.bytesdigital.co.uk/guides/the-ultimate-guide-to-5g |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=www.bytesdigital.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> private communications networks, wireless devices and so on.  The process of licensing varies depending on the type of use required.  Some licences simply have to be applied and paid for; other commercial licences are subject to a bidding process.  Most of the procedures in place have been inherited from the systems used by the previous regulators. However, Ofcom may change some of these processes in future.

Ofcom protects the radio spectrum in a number of ways:

* Working within international organisations ([[ITU]], [[European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations|CEPT]] and [[Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications|BEREC]]).
* Licensing UK-controlled commercial radio spectrum; the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] controls its own spectrum.  Within the international framework for frequency use; Ofcom liaises through the UK Government to produce the UKFAT (UK Frequency Allocation Table). The current table was produced in 2017.
* Investigate and, when necessary, carry out enforcement activities to clear interference or illegal use from the spectrum.  Until June 2010 Ofcom investigated all interference cases within the UK.  Interference reporting has now been transferred to the BBC.  This contract specifically excludes any requirement to investigate interference relating to AM radio reception.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radioandtvhelp.co.uk/interference/rtis_info/about_us|title=About Us|publisher=Radio & Television Investigation Service|date=8 April 2013|access-date=8 April 2013|archive-date=9 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409100053/http://radioandtvhelp.co.uk/interference/rtis_info/about_us|url-status=dead}}</ref> Commercial and spectrum licence holders report to Ofcom and in all cases illegal ("[[pirate radio|pirate]]") radio operations are still reported to Ofcom.