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

Cape Colony (South Africa)

  • The Electric Telegraphs Amendment Act 1902 (required wireless masts to be licensed)

Ireland

  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904 and 1906 (pre-independence acts repealed in 1926)
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1926 (the principal Act)
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1956 (concerned with use of radios in vehicles)
  • The Broadcasting Authority Act 1960 (established RTÉ and makes amendments to the 1926 Act in relation to television and interference)
  • The Broadcasting offences Act 1968 (banned offshore pirate radio stations-none of which existed at the time)
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1972 (concerned mainly with TV receiver licensing)
  • The Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act 1976 (amendments concerning cable TV)
  • The Broadcasting And Wireless Telegraphy Act 1988 (concerned mainly with unlicensed broadcasting)
  • The Broadcasting Act 1990 (amendments concerning cable TV and unauthorised decoding or interception of broadcast services)
  • The Broadcasting Act 2009

United Kingdom

Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to provide for the regulation of Wireless Telegraphy.
Citation4 Edw. 7. c. 24
Dates
Royal assent15 August 1904
Other legislation
Amended by
  • Wireless Telegraphy Act 1906
  • Wireless Telegraphy (Explanation) Act 1925
  • Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act 1926
Repealed byStatute Law (Repeals) Act 1973
Status: Repealed
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904 (subsequently repealed)
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy Act 1906
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to continue the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904,
Citation6 Edw. 7. c. 13
Dates
Royal assent20 July 1906
Other legislation
AmendsWireless Telegraphy Act 1904
Repealed byWireless Telegraphy Act 1949
Status: Repealed
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1906 (subsequently repealed)
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy (Explanation) Act 1925
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to explain the meaning of the expressions "transmission" and "rent or royalty" where used in certain provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904.
Citation15 & 16 Geo. 5. c. 67
Dates
Royal assent7 August 1925
Other legislation
AmendsWireless Telegraphy Act 1904
Repealed byStatute Law (Repeals) Act 1973
Status: Repealed
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy (Explanation) Act 1925 (subsequently repealed)
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act 1926
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to facilitate the use of wireless telegraphy by the blind.
Citation16 & 17 Geo. 5. c. 54
Dates
Royal assent15 December 1926
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law (Repeals) Act 1973
Status: Repealed
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act 1926 (subsequently repealed)
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to amend the law relating to wireless telegraphy.
Citation12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 54
Dates
Royal assent30 July 1949
Other legislation
Repeals/revokes
  • Wireless Telegraphy Act 1904
  • Wireless Telegraphy Act 1906
  • Wireless Telegraphy (Explanation) Act 1925
  • Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act 1926
Repealed byWireless Telegraphy Act 2006
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (subsequently repealed)
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy (Validation of Charges) Act 1954
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn 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.
Citation3 & 4 Eliz. 2. c. 2
Dates
Royal assent22 December 1954
Other legislation
Repealed byStatute Law (Repeals) Act 1973
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy (Validation of Charges) Act 1954 (subsequently repealed)
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons) Act 1955
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn Act to amend subsection (2) of section two of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1949.
Citation4 & 5 Eliz. 2. c. 7
Dates
Royal assent27 July 1955
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons) Act 1955
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn 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.
Citation1967 c. 72
Dates
Royal assent27 July 1967
Other legislation
AmendsWireless Telegraphy Act 1949
Status: Repealed
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 (subsequently repealed)
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998
Act of Parliament
Thumb
Long titleAn 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.
Citation1998 c. 6
Dates
Royal assent18 March 1998
Other legislation
Repealed byWireless Telegraphy Act 2006
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Close
  • The Wireless Telegraphy Act 1998 (introduced spectrum pricing)

See also


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