I just picked up this appalling news on the e-grapevine: OFCOM have a proposal to increase the fees for radio frequencies dramatically, which would put enormous pressure on charities such as the Mountain Rescue teams and the RNLI. Essentially the MRT and RNLI would have to pay the free market price for the radio spectrum they use, and even with a charity discount the increase in cost would be huge. How the hell can charities compete with rich companies eager to develop sexy commercial technologies and applications, after all, saving lives generates no profit and is so boring.
It’s the same today as ever: they know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
The story is covered by The Register and the BBC, and the OFCOM website has the consultation documents.
