“Network user equipment … is exempt from licensing provided that it meets the requirements of the relevant exemption regulations.” With Ofcom’s update due on 24 March 2026, more 4G and 5G devices now fall under that umbrella in the UK. (ofcom.org.uk)

Signed on 3 March, the Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 refresh the 2003 rules to reflect newer technology. Ofcom’s interface rules for 700 MHz (IR 2107), Shared Access Low Power (IR 2103) and Medium Power (IR 2104), and 26 GHz in high‑density areas (IR 2110) are now explicitly referenced for compliance. The amendment also extends licence‑exempt device support across extra 4G/5G bands, and updates the definition of the ITU Radio Regulations to the 2024 edition. (ofcom.org.uk)

For readers outside London, the standout change is 700 MHz entering the licence‑exempt handset and terminal mix. Lower‑frequency spectrum travels further and improves performance at the edge of coverage and indoors - precisely the pain points in mills, warehouses and farm buildings across the North. Ofcom’s own analysis has long highlighted these benefits for deep‑indoor and rural users. (ofcom.org.uk)

Crucially, the update doesn’t hand out new airwaves to run your own masts at 700 MHz. Network operators still hold those licences. Where Northern businesses build local private networks, they’ll continue to use Ofcom’s Shared Access licences in the 1.8 GHz, 2.3 GHz, 3.8–4.2 GHz and 26 GHz ranges - with the device side now cleaner and easier to source off‑the‑shelf. (ofcom.org.uk)

Shared Access has been steadily simplified. Ofcom confirmed in late 2024 that low‑power users no longer need to register terminals, introduced a new coordination approach, and opened easier routes to medium‑power in most urban areas (with balancing fees). Those changes continue to bed in through 2025. (ofcom.org.uk)

For costings, the Shared Access page remains the benchmark: £80 per 10 MHz per year in the 2.3 GHz and 3.8–4.2 GHz bands in rural locations, with set urban fees for medium‑power sites. An Ofcom availability map helps planners check the 3.8–4.2 GHz band before filing applications. (ofcom.org.uk)

This is already translating into Northern use cases. Ofcom notes the framework has enabled private networks for ports and rural broadband; on the ground, the Port of Tyne has been running a site‑wide private 4G/5G network to support scanning, monitoring and secure access. That kind of “works anywhere on the quayside” connectivity is what manufacturers in Trafford Park or Teesside will recognise. (ofcom.org.uk)

mmWave bands are part of the picture too. The exemption update lists 26 GHz and 40 GHz for terminals, aligning with Ofcom’s separate work to open high‑density city areas for 26/40 GHz mobile use and Shared Access at 26 GHz for private networks - useful for dense sensor and machine‑vision workloads on factory floors. (ofcom.org.uk)

What changes on 24 March for day‑to‑day ops? Buying compliant devices should get simpler: more handsets, scanners and modems will be lawful to use without a personal licence in the newly listed bands, so long as they meet the relevant UK Interface Requirements. Base stations, repeaters and fixed installations still need the right authorisation - terminals don’t. Check your integrator’s bill of materials against IR 2107, IR 2103/2104 or IR 2110 as appropriate. (ofcom.org.uk)

For Northern SMEs weighing a first private network, the order of play hasn’t changed: pick a site, check 3.8–4.2 GHz availability, choose low‑ or medium‑power, file the licence, and insist that all kit states the specific IR it conforms to. If you’re chasing reach into steel‑clad sheds or hillside barns, keep public‑network 700 MHz handsets in the mix for staff comms; if you need high device density on a line, look at 26 GHz indoors. (ofcom.org.uk)

The direction of travel is clear. By aligning licence‑exempt devices with 700 MHz and spelling out the shared‑access references, Ofcom has trimmed friction for the regions that rely on practical connectivity, not just city‑centre signal bars. Expect easier procurement, fewer grey‑area devices and - with the right licences - sturdier private networks across the North. (ofcom.org.uk)