Ofcom has laid out its priorities for the next two years: mostly cost-cutting and working out how to best slap down bit torrent users, but kicking Sky too. The draft plan is open to comment until the beginning of March. But don't rush to the defence of the pirates just yet: Ofcom will only be drawing up a code for dealing with …

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Friday 7th January 2011 14:46 GMT Wommit

Shirley

"Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland get to keep their advisors"

Shirley this is discrimination against the English.

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Friday 7th January 2011 15:46 GMT Anonymous Coward

#importedtechiesfromEU

QUOTE: Ofcom has exciting plans to "Test and further prepare our direction-finding equipment to pinpoint any harmful interference to Games users", and "Recruit and train experts who can provide assurance of spectrum availability and freedom from interference during the Games"

From casual over-the-pint chats with ex-Ofcom senior staff, there's no local talent left in the organisation to do the testing, training or actual pinpointing of signal interferance - they've either pushed off or been made redundant in downsizing - so Ofcom is planning quietly to import needed expertise from France and other EU sources - at more cost. Jobs for EU anyone?

Maybe a FOI request on that would be revealing and lead to a further El Reg story....

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1. Saturday 8th January 2011 00:55 GMT Mycrofft
  
  Couldn't agree more
  
  As an ex technical investigations officer at Ofcom I can only concur with this. They chose to make deep redundancies in their spectrum management field force over the last few years, knowing the risk and meaning that there's literally only a handful left who are either experienced or competent. Most couldn't find their arse with both hands, let alone track down problem transmitters. You only have to listen to the flourishing number of pirate radio stations, especially in London, to know how seriously they take their spectrum management responsibilities. The Radiocommunications Agency should never have been subsumed into the Ofcom empire.
  
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  1. Sunday 9th January 2011 00:41 GMT Robert E A Harvey
    
    yep
    
    Its difficult to see how an enforcement operation could be run the way Ofcom is currently structured.
    
    Bring back the GPO, I say.
    
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Monday 10th January 2011 12:17 GMT Big_Boomer

Can you trace a problem transmission?

In that case you could apply for the new ITV show called "I'm an ex-OFCOM employee, pay me exorbitant amounts to contract for you" starring several ex-OFCOM employees in the role of the Transmission Specialists (£600/day + expenses).

Due to a severe lack of foresight this will now cost the taxpayer 3 times as much and provide 1/10 of the level of service.

Ahhhh, bureaucratic efficiency. Gotta love it. ;-)

Boomer

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