Economic Impact Study - Preface Radio Economics David Hendon Chief Executive of the Radiocommunications Agency Preface Radiocommunications are transforming the way we communicate for business and leisure. The success of the mobile telephone is just one example. Exploitation of radio technology is central to making the UK the most dynamic and competitive market in the world for communications.
Radio spectrum is a finite resource and a raw material of considerable value to the economy.
Economic measures of the size and distribution of the benefits derived from spectrum are an important tool to help the Agency make better-informed decisions about the management of this important resource. The Agency leads the way internationally in the development of such measures. The Economic Impact Study that the Agency is now publishing shows the RA's latest estimate of the economic benefits of the radio spectrum to operators, those who provide radio services as well as to the private individuals and companies who use radio. Benefits to these people were an estimated 20 billion in 2000. The estimate, which is a lower bound since it excludes some areas of radio, demonstrates the sizeable benefits of radio and the importance of its effective management.