From 29 April 2026, Ofcom’s latest licence‑exemption rules come into force, trimming paperwork for coastal classrooms and rural broadband outfits well beyond the M25. The statutory instrument updates the 2021 framework and folds in fresh UK Interface Requirements that Northern providers have been waiting on.

The change most visible to seaside colleges is simple: Coastal Station Radio (Training School) kit used indoors will no longer need a licence. Ofcom’s decision notes around 500 current licensees will be contacted to revoke those light licences, with the same very‑low‑power classroom conditions carried across. In practice, that means transmissions should be effectively contained within the four walls and kept to a field‑strength limit of 0 dBµV/m at 10 metres. That’s welcome news for the likes of South Shields Marine School, Fleetwood Nautical Campus and smaller RYA centres around Whitby and Scarborough, who can focus on teaching rather than admin. (ofcom.org.uk)

Autonomous maritime radio devices also get a clear legal route. Group B AMRDs are now licence‑exempt on 160.9 MHz (Channel 2006) when built and used to the new UK IR 2113 conditions: 100 mW EIRP, antenna no higher than one metre above sea level, and strictly not for safety of navigation or to complement vessel‑traffic safety. That covers low‑power markers and buoys used by fishers, port teams and university marine labs operating close to shore. (ofcom.org.uk)

For rural broadband, 5.8GHz Fixed Wireless Access equipment in 5725–5850 MHz is now licence‑exempt when it meets IR 2007. Crucially, systems must implement the ETSI EN 302 502 techniques that cut interference: Transmit Power Control to rein in EIRP, and Dynamic Frequency Selection to detect radar and move channel when needed. That’s a practical boost for WISPs serving farms and villages across Cumbria, Northumberland and the Dales, provided networks are engineered to those rules. (ofcom.org.uk)

Short Range Devices and high‑density satellite terminals also get tidy‑ups. Ofcom has refreshed the naming and latest issues of IR 2030 (licence‑exempt SRDs) and IR 2066 (High Density Fixed Satellite Service systems) alongside this phase, aligning the paperwork and making it clearer which technical document applies. (ofcom.org.uk)

What counts as ‘indoors’ for training sets is spelled out as enclosed premises with a roof, so classrooms and simulator suites qualify; shed doors flung open to the harbour do not. For AMRDs, the one‑metre antenna‑height limit and 100 mW cap matter here on the North Sea and Irish Sea coasts, where cluttered quaysides and steep harbour walls can otherwise push signals further than intended. (ofcom.org.uk)

None of these exemptions offer protection if you cause interference. That’s standard for licence‑free use and worth repeating for operators near sensitive sites. On 5.8GHz, proper DFS calibration and channel planning are non‑negotiable; on VHF, AMRDs must stick to the manufacturer‑assigned MMSI and keep clear of any use that looks or feels like distress or navigation safety traffic. (etsi.org)

Local training providers can switch smoothly. Keep classroom sets indoors, use the generic MMSIs Ofcom lists for exercises, and document that your field‑strength stays within the limit. Colleges from the Tyne to Morecambe Bay told us timetables can now flex without waiting on licence paperwork-handy for short‑notice intake and evening courses. (ofcom.org.uk)

For Northern WISPs, the message is to validate hardware against IR 2007, confirm TPC levels, and test DFS behaviour against real‑world radar environments. Many already operate responsibly in 5.8GHz; the change removes annual licence friction while keeping technical obligations intact. Expect steadier roll‑outs to hard‑to‑serve farms, moorland businesses and coastal communities this summer. (ofcom.org.uk)

Ofcom trailed these moves through a late‑2025 consultation covering AMRDs, coastal training, 5.8GHz FWA and document updates for SRDs and HDFSS. The consultation drew broad support, including from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and training practitioners, with implementation scheduled in phases across the year. For Northern operators, the immediate takeaway is that the first phase lands on 29 April-plan accordingly. (ofcom.org.uk)