Interesting conversation Ofcom

[Bergman]

Re: That raises a point.

Wonder how many licenses at £20 a time it takes to pay for the bigorange rib and the driver.

Suspect there is a bit of a panic about who will still have a job when they make the license free.

Or am I an old cynic?

 

[2Tizwoz]

Re: That raises a point.

Should the greater concern be that boats with radios are doing so without a licence or that boats are without a radio ?

It seems that frequently mobile phones are used to summon assistance when for a host of technical reasons they are not dependable for emergency communications.

How frequently do unlicenced improperly used radios interfere with rescue attempts ? Does the payment of a licence fee ensure in any real way that radio is always used appropriately ?

The consultation was overwhelmingly in favour of the proposed new free regime and seems the most likely means of encouraging properly registered DSC.

Must it take forever for beauraucracy to move forward and encourage rather than deter the use of this safety equipment ? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Bergman]

Re: That raises a point.

"It seems that frequently mobile phones are used to summon assistance when for a host of technical reasons they are not dependable for emergency communications."

May be worth considering this statement a bit more deeply.

By a considerable margin most calls to emergency services (999 112) come from mobile phones.

This is factored into the planning the these companies do.

Not sure what "the host of technical reasons" may be. The only reason that occurs to me is the one of range.

Possibly there may in some circumstances be an advantage in other stations hearing a distress call but perhaps that is countered by the possibility of a call being lost because of interference - radio check etc.

"How frequently do unlicenced improperly used radios interfere with rescue attempts ?"

I do not know of any case - perhaps you do. Not entirely clear why the absence of a license makes a radio more prone to causing interference - perhaps we will find out in due course.

I have long held the view that the only purpose of the license was to provide a source of revenue as an excuse to employ lots of people who had no real job to do. Undoubtedly lots and lots of Ofcom, previously RA, previously DTI, previously GPO, people have made a good living at the tax payer's expense looking busy doing nothing. Perhaps now this will be exposed. And perhaps that is the reason for this flurry of activity.

 

[2Tizwoz]

Re: That raises a point.

www.tetramou.com.

'Analysis in the ability of Public Mobile Communications to support mission critical events for the Emergency Services'

Although the emergency services requirements are somewhat different to the incident reporter the shortcomings of the mobile equipment are simlarly pertinent. Of course the fact that a licence is not required that they can be used by children and their technical development is less hindered by beauraucracy has resulted in their widespread use and increased public safety.

What has been achieved in that field does highlight the poor quality of marine communications. Perhaps as DSC is further developed some of the abilities of the mobile networks - texts,e-mail,pictures - will become readily available to more people at sea. Cost does limit use at present. The licence just adds to that problem.