Small and Medium MVNO Operators to Receive Free Radio Usage Fees Again This Year

Enforcement Decree of Radio Act Amendment Effective from the 26th
Free Radio Usage Fees for Small and Medium MVNOs... Excluding Large Corporations
Unification of Wireless Station Regular Inspection Periods, etc.

Due to the revision of the Radio Waves Act Enforcement Decree, the radio wave usage fees for small and medium-sized MVNO operators will be fully waived again this year. The government plans to improve regulations to alleviate the economic and administrative burdens on radio wave users.

On the 26th, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that the amendment to the 'Radio Waves Act Enforcement Decree,' which relaxes regulations related to radio wave usage, passed the Cabinet meeting on the 19th and has been enforced since today. The revision of the enforcement decree was promoted based on the opinions of users such as companies and public institutions using wireless equipment to prepare measures to improve radio wave usage regulations.

First, the full waiver of radio wave usage fees for small and medium-sized MVNO operators will be extended again this year following last year. The target includes small and medium-sized MVNO operators who have provided mobile phone plans about 30% cheaper than existing mobile carriers. From 2025, the waiver rate will be gradually reduced, and full fees will be imposed after 2027.

However, as of January, among the total 80 MVNO companies, 15 subsidiaries of large corporations or 9 subsidiaries of foreign companies, excluding small and medium-sized operators, will be charged the full usage fees without any waiver.

The system to unify the timing of regular inspections for wireless stations will also be implemented. Until now, even if wireless stations were installed at the same location or operated by the same facility owner, if the inspection timings differed, inspections had to be conducted annually at the same location, causing inconvenience. The Ministry of Science and ICT will allow regular inspections to be conducted simultaneously in such cases and reduce inspection fees by up to 80%.

With the implementation of the unified timing system for wireless station inspections, the number of inspection visits climbing towers for wireless stations located at high altitudes will decrease, reducing the possibility of on-site safety accidents. It is also expected to have a significant effect on reducing carbon emissions (about 1,431 tons annually) and fuel costs due to decreased vehicle operation.

Additionally, the installation procedures for public-use eUIM 5G terminals mounted or fixed on robots and intelligent CCTVs will be eased, and fees for safety evaluations of high-power and leakage electromagnetic waves will be reduced. The examination fees for designated testing institutions authorized by the government to test electromagnetic safety of electronic devices will also be calculated based on actual costs and thus reduced.

Choi Byung-taek, Director of the Radio Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, emphasized, "Through the revised Radio Waves Act Enforcement Decree, we expect to alleviate the burdens on citizens and companies using radio waves while ensuring effective management of wireless equipment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.