Ofcom upcock

ghostlymoron

ghostlymoron

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Has anyone else received an email from Ofcom licensing to say that their unique MMSI is not unique? I have. Apparently it's due to some administrative problem.
I will have to have my radio reprogrammed with a new MMSI - Ofcom will cover the cost. My local Icom dealer is rubbing his hands, he has done 10 already!
 
This happened to me 9 months ago, and supposedly it was I and a few others making a fuss that triggered Ofcom into doing an investigation which reportedly found a very large number of duplicates. They paid for my set to be reprogrammed too, this must be costing them megabucks. I'm astonished that they are still sorting it out after all this time.
Message for all MMSI owners is to take a look at your entry on the ITU/Mars database, you might be surprised...
http://www.itu.int/cgi-bin/htsh/mars/ship_search.sh
 
Yup...... just had my new simrad reprogrammed. They paid up quickly though, just all seems sooo unnecessary. I'm beggining to think technology is starting to overtake us.
 
It ain't the technology, it's the muppets setting it up. They never thought to separate the allocation lists for manual & auto allocation while both were running in parallel.

Bless, It's our money that's paying for the upcock.
 
Thought I'd check the database to see if I had a double and it appears I don't exist at all according to the database even though I'm looking at my Ofcom Radio Licence telling me I do and stating my MMSI number. As I changed the boat last August and that was when the new one was registered and the MMSI recieved from Ofcom you'd think even they might have got it up to date by now.
So much for European bureacracy - Gawd help us if we ever get a federal Europe!
I suppose I should really get on to them but judging by the response I managed to engender last time I had a query I may lose the will to live if I call them again.
 
A problem similar to that highlighted in my post a month ago (and by JerryHawkins almost a year ago.) I rattled Ofcom's cage again and received a reply today as follows "The ITU have in the past and are still experiencing problems with the UK Ships licence database which has affected some licences. Ofcom is currently working with the ITU to resolve this and are hoping to present a new set of data at the end of the month."

In the light of our experiences I think I should probably read this as "The ITU are still finding errors in the c**p we are sending them but we're going to send them another load of s**t at the end of the month anyway."

Does anyone know just how many callsigns, MMSI numbers, vessels and EPIRBs are affected?
 
What a joke. Tried updating my licence the other day. Never mind the cumbersome we page. They need my HEX id to register eprib (why, EPIRB registered with Falmouth already). Tried to register SSB, seems to be no non-DSC option? That's when web page actually works or isn't creating double MMSI numbers!
 
Just found the same problem. Thing is, I've had my boat for 10 years, and I was listed on the database 6 months ago, so why not now?
 
Your mention of trying to register your EPIRB with Ofcom reminded me to do the same. The site is now giving this message;
'Due to the implementation of a programme of improvements to our licensing systems, Ofcom's on-line licensing service is expected to be unavailable from 17:30hrs on Friday 13th March until 18:00hrs on Saturday 14th March.'
I wonder whether the 'improvements' will make things better or worse!
 
[ QUOTE ]

I wonder whether the 'improvements' will make things better or worse!

[/ QUOTE ]

Government IT - need you ask! The only system I've found that really works well is the one for renewing your car tax. Co-incidentally, it involves you paying them.
 
I argued that I was using the boat over winter (True) and it would be a pain to take radio out of service. They checked and other user of my mmsi had agreed to change theirs so I was left alone.
 
In my case it was my call sign (had for years) that had been allocated to another vessel. In the ITU database my call sign had changed to "....". I did a look-up on my call sign and found the other vessel. Contacted Ofcom and they were "concerned" as this is certainly a safety issue. They have sorted it to a point - looking up my call sign now finds no other vessels, but mine still shows as "....". I contacted Ofcom again a while back but received no reply to my email this time. Seems like they are being swamped by a signifficant number of other problems. Have you all checked your call signs as well as MMSI numbers? My MMSI is still correct and doing a look-up on this only finds my vessel, which is something at least!
 
OFCOM have had a serious problem. I was given a duplicate amateur callsign last year and ended up getting some nasty e-mails from someone who thought I'd 'stolen' their callsign. OFCOM resolved it and educated the other party - but its clear that something has gone fundamentally wrong with their database to allow them to issue duplicates /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Thought I'd have a quick check on Ofcom's site and login to check my license details there - so far these details have always been correct (as opposed to the ITU details). As at 18:50, Ofcom's database is unavailable and the message below is displayed:

"Due to the implementation of a programme of improvements to our licensing systems, Ofcom's on-line licensing service is expected to be unavailable from 17:30hrs on Friday 13th March until 18:00hrs on Saturday 14th March."

Personally, I don't want "improvements", I just want the current one to work!
 
Just to add to this .... this is the reply I got from Ofcom ref. my details dissappearing from ITU database :

[ QUOTE ]
Dear Mr Luther,



Thank you for your email, the details of which have been noted.



In regards to your ITU enquiry, the ITU are currently experiencing problems with the UK ships licence database which has affected some licences. Ofcom is working with the ITU to resolve this matter and we anticipate it will be resolved within 4 weeks

[/ QUOTE ]

That was dated Feb 17, 2009 and my details are still not there.

Very strange as they were there last year !
 
[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know just how many callsigns, MMSI numbers, vessels and EPIRBs are affected?

[/ QUOTE ]

Donno.

How are are your flares? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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