Ofcom has made the Regulations to exempt mobile handsets and other SIM-enabled devices from the requirement to be licensed under section 8(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 when such devices are established, installed or used for Direct to Device (“D2D”) satellite services that meet the criteria set out in the Regulations.
This follows a series of consultations relating to our approach to authorising D2D services. On 9 September 2025 Ofcom published a Statement and Further Consultation, providing notice of its proposal to make Regulations which would create a new exemption to permit mobile handsets and other SIM enabled devices to connect to authorised D2D satellite services. They received broad support, with minimal comments provided on the proposed Regulations.
Ofcom considered the responses to their September 2025 notice of proposed Regulations, and on 9 December 2025, published a Statement setting out their final decisions to implement a spectrum authorisation framework for the provision of D2D satellite services in the UK. They also published a final draft of the Regulations which would implement their decisions. They said that once the first variation request has been finalised, they would add the relevant frequencies to the Regulations and make the Regulations.
Ofcom has now approved a request from Telefonica UK (commonly known as VMO2) to vary its relevant Wireless Telegraphy licence in order to provide D2D services in the UK. They have therefore inserted the frequencies on which Telefonica UK is authorised to provide the D2D services and made the Regulations.
These regulations are intended to come into effect on 25 February 2026 and will be available on legislation.gov.uk.
