We have pressed Ofcom for an update on the two main problems that applicants and licensees have encountered with the new licensing system—the dedicated validation facility (which has disappeared) and recycled call signs.
Ofcom said that it remains a Licence condition to revalidate at least every five years. While the new portal doesn’t currently have a dedicated revalidation button like the old one, if you register on the new system, it will automatically update your revalidation date. Ofcom also said that in the future, they will introduce a feature to allow licensees to validate their licences easily and to check details when using the portal. In the meantime, if you contact Ofcom by phone, email or letter you can ask them to revalidate your licence and Ofcom will do that though they strongly encourage all licensees to register on the portal.
On the call signs, Ofcom confirmed that some applicants, who got a new licence and call sign from the system between 28 July (when the new system went live) and 8.00am on 3 August, may have received a recycled call sign. That means a call sign that has, at some time in the past, been issued to someone else. However, none of these call signs has been authorised under a valid licence for at least two years and Ofcom stress that they have not issued any duplicated call signs. All of the call signs issued by the new system are unique. Ofcom say that, if the new system has issued you with a recycled call sign, they will issue you with a replacement on request, if you wish. If you think that you may have a recycled call sign (for example because you’ve seen it on QRZ.com), you can contact Spectrum Licensing to find out. We pressed Ofcom to write to all affected licensees rather than to rely on licensees to contact Ofcom. Ofcom undertook to consider this urgently and they will let us know early next week what further remedial action they would be taking.
Ofcom Spectrum Licensing can be contacted by email at spectrum.licensing@ofcom.org.uk
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