Licensing

The electromagnetic frequency spectrum is a scarce natural resource of every country. Given the immense importance of this resource to development and progress, there occur from time to time, competing and sometimes conflicting demands for the same portion of spectrum.

As such, regulation (spectrum management) is necessary to ensure that this resource is managed and utilized in the most efficient and effective way for the benefit of the country. Regulation is also required to prevent interference amongst spectrum users.

One aspect of regulation is the employment of licensing to assign and manage spectrum usage.

"Licensing is the process of conferring the legal authority to operate a radio station under specific and stipulated conditions. To this end the ITU Radio Regulations state, in No. 2020 , that no transmitter station may be established without a licence issued by the government of the administration to which the station belongs. In some administrations the right to use a radio receiving installation is also subject to licensing".[1]

Section 63(1) of the Post and Telegraph Act Chapter 47:01 states that "No person shall establish any wireless telegraph station, or instal or work any  apparatus for wireless telegraphy in any place, or on board any Commonwealth ship registered in Guyana, except under and in accordance with a licence granted in that behalf by the Minister....."

The National Frequency Management Unit has been tasked with the responsibility of receiving and processing applications for licences. Application forms for the various types of services can be uplifted from the Unit's Office located at 68 Hadfield Street, D'Urban Park, Georgetown (a processing fee of G$500.00 is required to be paid, and an official receipt granted, on uplifting each application form).

Alternatively, several of these application forms can also be accessed on this site. These forms could be downloaded from this site. The hard copy must be submitted to NFMU along with the processing fee of G$500.00

In granting a licence, several factors have to be considered, some of these are:

• agreements with other countries

• provisions of existing licences

• the public interest and the extraction of maximum benefits from the radio spectrum

• electromagnetic compatibility of apparatus

• Government policies.

TYPES OF LICENCES FOR THE VARIOUS SERVICES.

A. AERONAUTICAL SERVICE

Types of Licences :

1. Aircraft Station

2. Aeronautical Ground Station

B. AMATEUR SERVICE

Types of Licences :

1. Technician Class

2. General Class

3. Extra Class

C. MARITIME SERVICE

Types of Licences / Certificates:

1. Ship Station Licence

2. Coast Station Licence

3. Restricted Certificate of competence in radiotelephony

D. FIXED AND LAND MOBILE SERVICE

Types of Licences :

1. Fixed Station

2. Fixed and Land Mobile Station

E. SATELLITE SERVICE

Types of Licences:

1. Earth Station
2. Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs)
3. Television Receive ONly (TVROs)

F. BROADCASTING SERVICE

Types of Licences:

1. Television Station

2. Radio (Audio) Station

G. DEALER / PROVIDER SERVICE

Types of Licences:

1. Dealership in Radiocommunication Equipment;
2. Provider of Telecommunication Services such as : 

        (a) Direct-to-Home (DTH) Television

 Definition of Terms[2]

• Aeronautical mobile service: a mobile service between aeronautical stations and aircraft stations, or between stations.

• Aeronautical station: a land station in the aeronautical mobile service.

• Aircraft station: a mobile station in the aeronautical mobile service, other than a survival craft station, located on bard an aircraft

• Amateur service: a radio communication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs.

• Amateur: duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

• Coast station: A land station in the maritime mobile service

• Earth station: A station located either on the Earth’s surface or within the major portion of the Earth’s atmosphere and intended for communication.

• Fixed service: a radio communication service between fixed points

• Land mobile service: a mobile service between base stations and land mobile stations or between land mobile stations.

• Maritime mobile service: a mobile service between coast stations and ship stations, or between ship stations or between associated on-board communication stations.

• Radio communication service: the transmission, emission, and/or reception of radio waves for specific telecommunication purposes.

• Ship station: a mobile station in the maritime mobile service located on board a vessel, which is not permanently moored.