Radio licence rip-off

snowleopard

snowleopard

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My licence expires on 18 Aug. From 1 Oct they will be free.

The free lifetime licence will not be issued until the current licence expires so in effect I have to pay £20 for 6 weeks.

B*****s

OK then, to get my money's worth I will be making hourly radio checks during that period.
 
For gods sake. Ever since offcom announced they would be making licences free, all we have had on here is whinge after whinge about how hard done by people are.
I wish they'd go back to charging, and then we'd get less whinging threads
 
[ QUOTE ]
My licence expires on 18 Aug. From 1 Oct they will be free.

The free lifetime licence will not be issued until the current licence expires so in effect I have to pay £20 for 6 weeks.

B*****s



[/ QUOTE ]

No you don't! You pay £20 for the next 10 years (minimum)!!! A saving of £180!!! There had to a cut off point somewhere!
 
There will always be someone who falls short of cut-off date.

I am mid September ... so also have to cough up. But consolation is - it will be the last £20 I pay for a licence ...
 
Totally agree with you Brendan - it's all getting very boring now. No wonder we Brits get a reputation as whinging poms! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
why pay it then, wait six weeks!!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Because they only issue the new lifetime licence on expiry of the previous one so if I don't pay for this one I don't get the next one.
 
Back-payments ??

There was a confusing line on the ofcom site that was later removed ... which indicated that any person without a valid licence after date of change would have to pay £20 to get one ... then all would be free etc.
But it is now considered that it may be a licence application after change date as long as online and regardless of old licence or not will qaulify for free. The only possible disadvantage being new Callsign etc. and affecting MMSI etc.
 
You simply apply for a licence. A bit more hassle than getting it automaticaly but as I allowed mine to lapse when the boat was not in use that is what I will do if I go afloat next year (I will probably do it anyway)

As things stand even if I applied, and paid, for a new licence now there is no guarantee that I would get my old callsign back although there is provision on the current form to state what it was. My understanding is that it would be reissued provided it had not been reallocated. I do not have a mimsi number so I don't know about that.
 
I thought I had mentioned that already but it must have been on another thread on the same subject.

The trouble is that it seems to take quite some time for the database to be updated.

The callsign is not likely to be reallocated within a few weeks or even months though.

What I don't know yet, because AFAIK the online application form for the new system has not yet been published, is whether the facility to state the old callsign will be retained. If a new form is designed by some geek with no knowledge of radio comms then it may well not be!
 
If you don't renew you will be charged £20 admin fee for the free licence. Those who have a 'current' licence on the 1st October will be receive a free licence. So it will cost you £20 anyway.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you don't renew you will be charged £20 admin fee for the free licence. Those who have a 'current' licence on the 1st October will be receive a free licence. So it will cost you £20 anyway.

[/ QUOTE ] That is not how I understand things will work. When the new system comes into operation (There now seems to be some uncertainty about that being in October) Licences will be issued free of charge on line. (It will be pdf, probably, which you will have to download and print. An admin charge will be made only if you want to be issued with a paper licence. The form of the new licence document has already been published by Ofcom.
 
That was my next question, how the hell would that work? Then baot was in the yard for six weeks and didnt need a licence!!! This is boring!
 
They have improved then. My details were there for months after I allowed the licence to lapse. Perhaps they get new stuff on more quickly than they remove the old stuff.

I have checked. My old callsign is not found so several years later it has not been reallocated.
 
My renewal is Sept.26!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
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