Wireless Telegraphy Act is (with its variations) a stock short title used for legislation in the Republic of Ireland, South Africa and the United Kingdom relating to wireless telegraphy.
The Wireless Telegraphy Acts are laws regulating radio communications in the United Kingdom.
Wireless telegraphy as a concept is defined in British law as "the sending of electro-magnetic energy over paths not provided by a material substance."
The term telegraphy, although best known in relation to the electric telegraph, relates to the sending of messages over long-distances. Wireless telegraphy is differentiated from electrical telegraphy in that the messages are transmitted via electromagnetic means (light or radio) rather than via a physical electrical cable connection.
The current (2018) supervisor of the UK's electromagnetic spectrum is the communications regulator, Ofcom.
List edit
Cape Colony (South Africa) edit
- The Electric Telegraphs Amendment Act 1902 (required wireless masts to be licensed)
Ireland edit
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904 and 1906 (pre-independence acts repealed in 1926)
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1926 [1] (the principal Act)
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1956 [2] [3] (concerned with use of radios in vehicles)
- The Broadcasting Authority Act 1960 [4] (established RTÉ and makes amendments to the 1926 Act in relation to television and interference)
- The Broadcasting offences Act 1968 [5] (banned offshore pirate radio stations-none of which existed at the time)
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1972 [6] (concerned mainly with TV receiver licensing)
- The Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act 1976 [7] (amendments concerning cable TV)
- The Broadcasting And Wireless Telegraphy Act 1988 [8] (concerned mainly with unlicensed broadcasting)
- The Broadcasting Act 1990 [9] (amendments concerning cable TV and unauthorised decoding or interception of broadcast services)
- The Broadcasting Act 2009 [10]
United Kingdom edit
| Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to provide for the regulation of Wireless Telegraphy. |
| Citation | 4 Edw. 7. c. 24 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 15 August 1904 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by |
|
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 |
Status: Repealed | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904 (subsequently repealed)
| Wireless Telegraphy Act 1906 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| | |
| Long title | An Act to continue the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904, |
| Citation | 6 Edw. 7. c. 13 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 20 July 1906 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904 |
| Repealed by | Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 |
Status: Repealed | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1906 (subsequently repealed)
| Wireless Telegraphy (Explanation) Act 1925 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| | |
| Long title | An Act to explain the meaning of the expressions "transmission" and "rent or royalty" where used in certain provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904. |
| Citation | 15 & 16 Geo. 5. c. 67 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 7 August 1925 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904 |
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 |
Status: Repealed | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy (Explanation) Act 1925 (subsequently repealed)
| Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act 1926 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| | |
| Long title | An Act to facilitate the use of wireless telegraphy by the blind. |
| Citation | 16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. 54 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 15 December 1926 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 |
Status: Repealed | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act 1926 (subsequently repealed)
| Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| | |
| Long title | An Act to amend the law relating to wireless telegraphy. |
| Citation | 12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 54 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 30 July 1949 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repeals/revokes |
|
| Repealed by | Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (subsequently repealed)
| Wireless Telegraphy (Validation of Charges) Act 1954 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to validate certain charges in respect of licences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts, 1904 to 1926, and for purposes connected with the matter aforesaid. |
| Citation | 3 & 4 Eliz. 2. c. 2 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 22 December 1954 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 |
Status: Repealed | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy (Validation of Charges) Act 1954 (subsequently repealed)
| Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons) Act 1955 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| | |
| Long title | An Act to amend subsection (2) of section two of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1949. |
| Citation | 4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 7 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 27 July 1955 |
- The Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons) Act 1955
- The Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 (banned offshore pirate radio stations, subsequently repealed)
| Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| | |
| Long title | An Act to enable the Postmaster General to obtain information as to the sale and hire of television receiving sets; to enable him to prohibit the manufacture or importation of certain wireless telegraphy apparatus; to make provision for requiring applicants for vehicle excise licences to give information about such apparatus installed in vehicles; to make miscellaneous amendments in the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949; and for connected purposes. |
| Citation | 1967 c. 72 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 27 July 1967 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 |
Status: Amended | |
| Text of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967
- The Telecommunications Act 1984 (made amendments to the 1949 act)
- The Broadcasting Act 1990 (made extensive amendments to the 1949 and 1967 acts)
| Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision about the grant of, and sums payable in respect of, licences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 other than television licences, and about the promotion of the efficient use and management of the electro-magnetic spectrum for wireless telegraphy; and for connected purposes. |
| Citation | 1998 c. 6 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 18 March 1998 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
- The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998 (introduced spectrum pricing)
- The Office of Communications Act 2002 (created Ofcom)
- The Communications Act 2003 (provided for new activities relating to spectrum pricing)
See also edit
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