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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 203
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption)
(Amendment) Regulations 2026
Made - - - - 3rd March 2026
Coming into force - - 24th March 2026
The Office of Communications (“OFCOM”), in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 8(3)
and 122(7) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006(1), make the following Regulations.
Before making these Regulations, OFCOM have given notice of their proposal to do so in
accordance with section 122(4)(a) of the Act, published notice of their proposal in accordance with
section 122(4)(b) of the Act, and have considered the representations made to them before the time
specified in the notice in accordance with section 122(4)(c) of the Act.
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) (Amendment)
Regulations 2026 and shall come into force on 24th March 2026.
Amendment of the Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) Regulations 2003
2.—(1) The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) Regulations 2003(2)are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 3 (Interpretation), in paragraph 1, in the definition of “the Radio Regulations”,
for “the 2004 edition” substitute “the 2024 edition”.
(3) In regulation 5 (Terms, provisions and limitations), in paragraph 1(b), omit “, unless non-
terrestrial use is permitted under Part III of Schedule 6”.
(4) In Schedule 3, Part 3, paragraph 3—
(a) in sub-paragraph (d) (Long term evolution radiotelephones (LTE)), after the entry
“3400-3800 MHz” in the list of frequency bands, insert the following entries—
— “703–733 MHz
(1) 2006 c. 36. Section 8(3) and section 122(7) were extended to the Bailiwick of Guernsey by article 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy
(Guernsey) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3325); to the Bailiwick of Jersey by article 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy (Jersey) Order
2006 (S.I. 2006/3324); and to the Isle of Man by article 2 of the Wireless Telegraphy (Isle of Man) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/278).
(2) S.I. 2003/74 as amended by S.I. 2003/2155, S.I. 2005/3481, S.I. 2006/2994, S.I. 2008/236, S.I. 2008/2426, S.I. 2010/2512,
S.I. 2011/2950, S.I. 2013/1254, S.I. 2016/486 and S.I. 2016/1075.Document Generated: 2026-03-24
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
— 738–788 MHz
— 2320–2340 MHz
— 2390–2400 MHz
— 3.8–4.2 GHz
— 24.45–27.5 GHz
— 40.5–43.5 GHz”;
(b) after sub-paragraph (e) (Worldwide interoperability for microwave access radiotelephones
(WiMax)) insert—
“(ff) 5G new radio (NR) radiotelephones
— 703–733 MHz
— 738–788 MHz
— 791–821 MHz
— 832–862 MHz
— 880–915 MHz
— 925–960 MHz
— 1710–1785 MHz
— 1805–1880 MHz
— 1920–1980 MHz
— 2110–2170 MHz
— 2320–2340 MHz
— 2350–2400 MHz
— 2500–2690 MHz
— 3400–3800 MHz
— 3800–4200 MHz
— 24.45–27.5 GHz
— 40.5–43.5 GHz”; and
(c) omit sub-paragraphs (f) and (g).
(5) In Schedule 3, Part 4 (Interface Requirement), after the entry “IR 2097—UK Interface
Requirement 2098 Terrestrial systems capable of providing electronic communications services in
the 3.4 to 3.8 GHz band, published by the Office of Communications in February 2016” insert the
following entries—
— “IR 2107 – UK Interface Requirement 2107 Terrestrial systems capable of providing electronic
communications services in the 700 MHz band, published by the Office of Communications
in March 2021.
— IR 2103 – UK Interface Requirement 2103 Shared Access Low Power, published by the Office
of Communications in January 2025.
— IR 2104 – UK Interface Requirement 2104 Shared Access Medium Power, published by the
Office of Communications in January 2025.
— IR 2110 – UK Interface Requirement 2110 Terrestrial systems capable of providing electronic
communications services in the 26 GHz band in high density areas, published by the Office
of Communications in April 2025.”
2Document Generated: 2026-03-24
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
David Willis
Group Director, Spectrum Group
For and on behalf of the Office of
3rd March 2026 Communications
3Document Generated: 2026-03-24
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/74)
(“the Principal Regulations”) to make changes to the class of wireless telegraphy apparatus in respect
of which the establishment, installation and use are exempted from the requirement to be licensed
under section 8(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 (c. 36).
Regulations 2(2) and 2(3) make minor drafting and updating changes to regulations 3 and 5 of the
Principal Regulations.
Regulation 2(4) amends Part 3 of Schedule 3 to the Principal Regulations to extend the licence
exemptions for Long term evolution (LTE) radiotelephones to cover additional frequency bands.
The licence exemptions in Part 3 of Schedule 3 are also extended to cover 5G new radio.
Regulation 2(5) amends Part 4 of Schedule 3 to the Principal Regulations to refer to the technical
requirements that must be complied with in order for the exemptions to apply.
Technical requirements are set out in Interface Requirement publications. The Interface
Requirements are published by OFCOM and are available from OFCOM’s website at https://
www.ofcom.org.uk/home or from the OFCOM library at Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge
Road, London SE1 9HA.
A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect of these Regulations is available to the public
from OFCOM’s website at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/home or from the OFCOM library at Riverside
House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA. Copies of the assessment have also been
placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament.
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