Ofcom kills off UWB licences

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As of next week, people won't need a licence to make use of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology-powered devices.

From Monday, UK users wishing to wirelessly connect digital devices through ultra-wideband (UWB) technology will no longer need a licence as Ofcom is scrapping the mandatory requirement.

Although the move is a positive step forward as it should enable devices and services to converge without wires, the UK is trailing its peers in Japan and the US on UWB licensing, as both those countries already have active exemption plans in place.

Other EU members are expected to unveil their legislations regarding the removal licences for UWB equipment - which operates in bands between 3.1 to 10.6 GHz - in the next few months.

The communications watchdog announced the change in the law this week, signaling the introduction of the The Wireless Telegraphy (Ultra-Wideband Equipment) (Exemption) Regulations 2007, which means that UWB-fans can transfer up to 2Gbs of data over short distances, and do so licence-free.

Maggie Holland
Maggie Holland

Maggie has been a journalist since 1999, starting her career as an editorial assistant on then-weekly magazine Computing, before working her way up to senior reporter level. In 2006, just weeks before ITPro was launched, Maggie joined Dennis Publishing as a reporter. Having worked her way up to editor of ITPro, she was appointed group editor of CloudPro and ITPro in April 2012. She became the editorial director and took responsibility for ChannelPro, in 2016.

Her areas of particular interest, aside from cloud, include management and C-level issues, the business value of technology, green and environmental issues and careers to name but a few.