Telecommunications

Telecommunications are at the very heart of almost all modern businesses.

As the UK’s old analogue telephone systems are slowly being phased out, new, faster and higher capacity systems such as VoIP (voice over internet protocol) systems replace them. Virtually every business has to engage with telecoms providers for both internal and external communications. However, as technologies develop and converge, the lines between traditional information technology (IT) providers, and telecoms providers, are becoming more and more blurred.

Key issues for telecommunications providers

At the same time, the remit and powers of regulators such as Ofcom continue to expand. The recent European Electronic Communications Code - the adoption and implementation of which will continue to progress following Brexit - has broadened both consumer/customer protections as well as the telecoms regulatory sphere, meaning that now even so-called over-the-top providers, like WhatsApp, who provide a telephony-like service (which do not connect to public telephone networks but require users to have the relevant App) are increasingly coming within that regulatory environment.

LCF Law is well versed in the regulatory requirements for telecoms providers. In particular, we advise such providers on ensuring that their contractual documentation is compliant with the General Conditions of Entitlement – the authorisation regime that telecoms providers must comply with in order to operate in the UK.

Telecommunications expertise

LCF Law’s Commercial & Digital team consists of telecoms lawyers that are adept at advising IT and technology-led businesses. As IT providers move into the telecoms market, and as telecoms itself becomes very much IT-led, lawyers operating in this sector need to have deep experience of advising in both sectors, as they continue to merge.

Our telecoms expertise also includes:

• advising clients looking to procure turnkey telecom systems from providers;
• acting for clients in disputes with rogue telecoms providers;
• advising on Intellectual Property
• Buying and selling telecoms businesses

Our Real Estate team also has significant experience in advising on leases for telecommunications apparatus in the context of telecoms specific requirements such as the Electronic Communications Code, and all other requirements of UK property law including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.

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