Ofcom Radio Licence Management | Yesway Communications

Every licensed two-way radio in the UK operates under a spectrum licence issued by Ofcom. For most organisations, that licence sits in a filing cabinet, renewed automatically and largely ignored — until a radio system fails an audit, a frequency clash causes interference, or a regulator asks for documentation that doesn’t exist.

Yesway provides Ofcom radio licence management as a standalone service: reviewing existing licences, identifying gaps, managing renewals, and ensuring that your radio deployment is correctly authorised and documented.

What Ofcom radio licensing covers

In the UK, the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 and the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 govern the use of radio spectrum. Most business radio systems — two-way radios, repeaters, telemetry links, paging systems — require a Wireless Telegraphy Act licence from Ofcom. Operating without one, or on incorrect frequencies, is a criminal offence.

The main licence types relevant to business radio users are:

Business Radio Licence (Simple UK Licence): For straightforward, single-site radio deployments on shared Ofcom-assigned channels.
Business Radio Licence (Area Defined): For operations covering a specific geographic area, with more control over channel assignment.
Business Radio Licence (Technically Assigned): For organisations requiring specific frequencies — usually because of interference concerns, coverage requirements, or encrypted communications. Requires frequency coordination.
Suppliers Licence: Held by radio hire companies to cover equipment supplied to third parties.
Site Specific Licence: For fixed infrastructure — repeaters, base stations — at a defined location.

Many organisations hold licences in the wrong category for their actual deployment, on frequencies that no longer match their equipment, or have allowed licences to lapse without realising their radios are now operating illegally.

What Ofcom radio licence management includes

Yesway’s licence management service covers:

Licence audit: Review of all current Ofcom licences held by your organisation, checked against actual equipment in use.
Gap analysis: Identification of radio equipment operating without a valid licence, or on frequencies not covered by current licences.
Frequency compliance check: Verification that licensed frequencies match the equipment specification — a mismatch is surprisingly common following equipment upgrades.
Licence applications: We prepare and submit new licence applications on your behalf, including technically assigned licences requiring Ofcom frequency coordination.
Renewal management: Scheduled review and renewal of licences before expiry, with a record kept on your behalf.
Documentation for compliance: For organisations subject to IEC 62443, ISO 27001, or sector-specific regulation, we provide licence documentation in a format suitable for audit submission.

Why licence management matters more now

Two regulatory developments have brought Ofcom licence compliance into sharper focus for industrial and critical infrastructure operators.

First, the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (introduced 2025) and the NIS2 Directive both require that organisations demonstrate management of all communications assets — including licensed radio spectrum. An Ofcom licence is evidence that a radio system is formally authorised, managed, and under the organisation’s control. Unlicensed or incorrectly licensed radio systems are increasingly difficult to explain in an OT security audit.

Second, IEC 62443 compliance requires that all conduits — including wireless conduits — be identified and assessed. A radio system that isn’t properly licensed is, by definition, a system that isn’t properly managed. The two disciplines — spectrum licensing and OT security — are converging.

Who this service is for

Industrial operators and manufacturers with on-site radio systems that predate current management
Facilities and estates teams managing radio across multiple sites with no central licence record
Organisations going through IEC 62443 compliance who need radio licence documentation
Businesses that have upgraded radio equipment and are unsure whether existing licences still cover the new kit
Radio hire operations requiring a Suppliers Licence review

How it works

The process starts with a brief conversation about your current radio deployment — what equipment you have, where it operates, and what licences you hold (if any). From there, we conduct a licence audit against the Ofcom register, identify any gaps, and provide a written report with recommendations.

For most organisations, the audit takes one to two days. Where new licence applications are needed, Ofcom’s processing time varies by licence type — Simple licences are often issued same-day; technically assigned licences require frequency coordination and typically take two to four weeks.

There is no obligation after the audit. Many organisations use the report to handle licence corrections internally. Where Yesway manages the application and renewal process on an ongoing basis, we provide a fixed annual fee covering all licences under management.

To discuss your current Ofcom licensing position, contact Yesway or call 0871 234 0878. We offer a free initial discussion with no obligation.

Craig Miles is an Ofcom-licensed wireless communications engineer with 30 years of RF and radio systems experience. Yesway Communications manages Ofcom licensing for organisations across the UK.