Originally Posted by Telly_Man:
“The legislation changed last month, hence these are now selling in Argos, Comet, Currys and the likes.”
Actually it hasn't. It is currently still illegal to use any transmitting equipment in the Band II broadcast band without the relevent Wireless Telegraphy Act licence.
What has changed is that Ofcom have initiated a consultaion process which ends on Monday, 6th Nov. about proposed ammendments to the Wireless Telegraphy Act which would make such devices legal.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/cond...ption/summary/
There is however no bar under EU law to stop shops selling these devices if they have a CE mark, as outlined in the page linked to by rich_jtg. If you look in the small print of the ads featuring these devices you will see a get out clause saying that although you can legally buy them you cannot legally use them in the UK.
Reading the available documentation on the Ofcom website it looks very certain that these devices will become legal to operate, but that is still some way off. And there is no guarantee that any device curently on sale will meet whatever technical specifications Ofcom decide on to make them licence exempt.