Private networks-stepping stones to deregulation

This paper gives an overview of the key regulatory changes in recent years which have impacted on the field of private networks. It is not our purpose to provide a comprehensive account of all the regulatory changes since 1984 that have had a bearing on how private networks may be run, rather to highlight the key deregulatory initiatives which have culminated in one of the most liberal regulatory environments in Europe. The progress of deregulation naturally falls into three broad periods: 1984-86, the first licences; 1987-90, the network code of practice; and 1991-96, consolidation