JFMG, then ARQIVA, now OFCOM

[paulears]

For those that don't get the emails, it seems Arqiva's take over of radio mic licensing was short lived.

 

I am writing to notify you about some important changes happening with the Arqiva Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE) team.

 

The Spectrum Management Services which the Arqiva PMSE team currently provide are delivered under contract with Ofcom. However as of May 2015, Ofcom have made the decision to end the contract with Arqiva and to insource the existing services.

 

This means that the PMSE team, services and processes will transfer to Ofcom and will no longer be part of Arqiva. Our current plan is to make the transition in mid-May.

 

Ofcom has made the decision to insource the people, services and processes as they believe this will provide continuity for the delivery of licensing services as well as providing value for money for UK citizens and consumers. It further provides an excellent opportunity for experts in both organisations to come together within Ofcom to build upon the close working relationship established during this contract on key events such as the Olympic and Commonwealth Games; and to continue this close collaboration into the future for the good of the sector.

 

What happens next?

 

We are planning for the transition from Arqiva to Ofcom to be as seamless as possible with our key focus on maintaining our existing service. Essentially, you will be able to apply for licence products as before, and the same online services will be available. However there are some minor changes we need to make at transition:-

 

How you contact us:

 

Our email address and contact telephone number will change and we aim to confirm the new details in our next communication on 6 May 2015.

 

How you pay:

 

American Express credit cards will no longer be accepted as a method of payment once the move has taken place in mid-May. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but all other major credit/debit cards will still be accepted as well as alternative methods of payment such as bank transfers (BACS), carnets and cheques.

 

We have published a list of FAQs on the PMSE website which we hope will answer any additional questions you may have. As advised above we will communicate again on 6 May 2015 to confirm new contact details and the date the transition will take place.

 

We would like to thank you for your support and cooperation during this transition.

 

Kind regards

Carys Reynolds

PMSE Business Unit Manager

 

Tel: 0207 299 8660

[GaryNattrass]

Does not surprise me as Arqiva got rid of their OB division a few years ago and the SNG division that I used to work for has gone too, if there is no money in it I doubt that Arqiva were prepared to do it Or maybe there are other problems with their company structure???

[Simon Lewis]

Are we to expect Ofcom reviewing the PMSE system and deciding that we're not paying enough for the privilege of using the airwaves?

[paulears]

I actually doubt it - one of my other licenses is direct with Ofcom, and it's now actually cheaper than it was, and has an extended time period between renewals, because, I guess, they don't want to waste staff time.

[GaryNattrass]

I agee with Paul and my private business radio licence with Ofcom is £75 for five years!

All this outsourcing by governement and other public owned companies is a myth and whilst the accountant love it when a company says that what would cost £100m internally can be done for £80m by the outsourcing company but what the public actually get is £40m worth of services as the rest goes to the shareholders and directors pension pots!

It also kills working conditions as industries force graduates to work for lo/nopay or have to endure zero hour contracts to keep the overheads down!