Front Page
News Archive
Events Calendar
Library
Activities
Advisors
About
Links
Contact Us
Country Links
Africa
Asia & Pacific
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
Global Policy Tools
Search this site:
Brought to you as a public service of the Open Spectrum Foundation (Stichting Open Spectrum), Amsterdam - Prague.
| "...I found [your web site] very informative and a useful resource tool to assist with the policy change we are trying to make in Jamaica..." ---email from Michele Thomas, Director, Policy and Strategic Planning, Spectrum Management Authority, Jamaica |
| "The rapid adoption of Wi-Fi has pushed prices down and allowed entrepreneurs in developing economies to use off-the-shelf equipment to quickly roll out wireless networks. These new wireless networks usually operate in license-exempt spectrum bands. Policy makers can help spur innovation in these wireless networks by making certain frequency bands license-exempt..." ---Regulatory Reform as a Tool for Bridging the Digital Divide, OECD, 2004 |
Visitors since 7 June 2010
NEWS LINKS
31 August 2010
Free webinar, 1 Sept: "Leveraging non-traditional point-to-point spectrum," DragonWave and WCA International
"California tags school kids with RFID," Silicon Valley Sleuth
"FCC adjusts final rules on use of vacant TV band," by Amy Schatz, The Wall Street Journal
30 August 2010
"Where the RFID industry has failed," by Mark Roberti, RFID Journal
"Shipments of Bluetooth, NFC, UWB, 802.15.4 and Wi-Fi ICs will increase 20% in 2010," ABI Research press release
"Burning Man's open source cell phone system could help save the world," by Julie Bort, Network World
"Community Wi-Fi models inexpensive alternative to cable broadband," by W. David Gardner, InformationWeek
"Untangling the Wireless Car," by Filomena Berardi, Cellular News
"Chunghwa Telecom aims to set up 5,000 Wi-Fi APs around Taiwan at year end," by Chloe Yu & Adam Hwang, Digitimes
27 August 2010
"Genetic algorithm cuts antenna costs above 5GHz," by Steve Bush, Electronics Weekly
"Extreme Wi-Fi: technology allows digital nomads to work anywhere," by L. J. Rich, BBC's Click Online
26 August 2010
US: "Churches face wireless mic challenges," by Doug Lung, TV Technology
"Japan develops 'touchable' 3D TV images," Agence France Presse (via 9News)
"Government spending buoys Wi-Fi market," by Drew Robb, Enterprise Networking Planet
"New Bluetooth spec could mean a comeback for wristwatches," by Matt Hamblen, ComputerWorld
"RFID hardware supply struggles to meet demand," by Claire Swedberg, RFID Journal
"Ford uses Wi-Fi to customize cars," by Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal
25 August 2010
"Collaborative spectrum sensing from sparse observations in cognitive radio networks," by Jia Meng, Wotao Yin, Husheng Li, Ekram Hossain & Zhu Han, arxiv.org
20 August 2010
Almost a billion "combo" short-range wireless chips to be sold in 2015, says ABI, ABI Research press release
19 August 2010
"UK police use RFID to secure tasers," by Claire Swedberg, RFID Journal
"New and improved wireless driveway monitors announce visitors," Safety Technology International press release (via ThomasNet.com)
"Sybase key to SAP's 'unwired' attack plans," by David Needle, EnterpriseMobile Today
"Public Wi-Fi business model is changing," by Gary Kim, TMCnet.com
"Intel looks for a wireless connection with McAfee deal," by Iain Marlow, Globe and Mail
"Bank of America to run NFC payments trial in New York," by Sarah Clark, Near Field Communications World
18 August 2010
"An implantable antenna," by Jennifer Chu, MIT Technology Review
"NextWave, Cavalier highlight shadowy world of spectrum speculators," by Mike Dano, Fierce Wireless
"US NFC payments market heats up...," by Sarah Clark, Near Field Communications World
"Free Wi-Fi hotspots outnumber paid Wi-Fi in the US says JiWire," by Kevin C. Tofel, GigaOm
"Cool! Researchers find way to use HVAC ducts for wireless monitoring technology," North Carolina State University press release
"IPTV, DVRs will spur growth of 'no-new-wires'-based home networks," by Sean Buckley, Fierce Telecom
"Wireless chargers to be $4bn market in 2014, says In-Stat," by Richard Wilson, Electronics Weekly
17 August 2010
"WiFi goes mainstream in phones," by Michael Stanford, TMCnet.com
"A bridge to Car 2.0: Kiwi WiFi device and iPhone apps," by Katie Fehrenbacher, GigaOm
"IBM, Beijing Goodwill launch WiFi remote ECG monitor in China," by Brian T. Horowitz, eWeek
"Spectrum auctions hurt mobile consumers," by Bengt Nordstrom, BusinessWeek
"QoS: Ethernet vs. Wi-Fi," by Joanie Wexler, Network World
"2.6 billion Wi-Fi consumer devices by 2014," Strategy Analytics press release
16 August 2010
"Squabbles over spectrum won't go away as 3D TV's future is decided," by Malcolm Colless, The Australian
"AT&T: spectrum limits wireless net neutrality," by Dan Jones, Light Reading
US broadcast audience aging twice as fast as the general population, by David Bauder, Associate Press (via Yahoo!)
"Mobile data offloaded will grow 100-fold by 2015," ABI Research press release
NAB and RIAA: portable wireless devices should be required to include FM audio broadcast reception, by Nate Anderson, Ars Technica
Wi-Fi, batteries let Internet radio go portable, by Jonathan Takiff, Philadelphia Daily News (via TMCnet.com)
"Is ham radio still relevant?" by Bob Raynor, eHam.net
"Cable [TV] operators exploit mobile Internet explosion with new high-speed outdoor smart Wi-Fi system...," Ruckus Wireless press release
15 August 2010
"Wi-Fi Aerial Surveillance Platform: WASP drone," by Gary Mortimer, sUAS News
14 August 2010
"Engineering the Wireless Hospital," SearchHealthIT.com
13 August 2010
"Wireless sensors could reduce aircraft maintenance costs," by Siobhan Wagner, The Engineer
"The Internet of Moving Things," by Pat Burns, DASH7 Wireless Sensor Networking blog
2.4Ghz sensors for Azerbaijan's oil/gas industry, Trend News Agency (via TMCnet.com)
"Cognitive Radio in Europe 2010," by John Holland, Lasse Wieweg and Peter Olanders, Ericsson
"iPad-type tablets open new opportunities for wireless chip vendors," iSuppli press release
Thailand: "Schools to get free wireless Internet," by Usanee Mongkolporn, The Nation
12 August 2010
Brazil: Wi-Fi interfering with broadcast auxiliary links at 2.3 GHz, TeleTime (in Portuguese)
San Francisco considering "aesthetic restrictions" on cellphone antennas installed on public property, by Kent German, CNet News
"'WiMAX 2' set to be finalized in November," by Brad Reed, Network World
"Turning the world into a sensor network," by John Cox, Network World
"Wi-Fi use boosted by holidaymakers," by Vicky Woollaston, Web User
Silk and gold "invisibility cloak" works in the teraHertz band, by Eric Bland, Discovery News
University of Lugano (Switzerland) studying wireless communities, Multimedia-Certified.ch (in French)
10 August 2010
"Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) hires Executive Director," WISPA press release
"Sensor system helps drivers find parking spots," CommunicationsDirect
"USA proposes relaxing use of microwave spectrum for mobile backhaul," Cellular News
"Google proposes separate rules for wireless Web," by Amy Thomson, Bloomberg News (via the San Francisco Chronicle)
Israeli army commissions battlefield WiMAX, by David Axe and Jason Reich, Wired UK
How to use a mobile Citizens Band radio as a home base station, by Keith Allen, eHow
South Korea: "Free WiFi zones open in subway stations nationwide" this month, The Chosun Ilbo (in English)
"Sam's Club to use Wi-Fi to push TVs," by Ann Zimmerman, The Wall Street Journal
9 August 2010
"«Бесплатно выдавать частоты бессмысленно и вредно» — Иван Стрешинский генеральный директор «Телекоминвеста»" [Giving out free frequencies is senseless and dangerous, says Ivan Streshinsky, CEO of Telecominvest], interview by Igor Tsukanov and Anastasia Galitzine, Vedomosti (in Russian)
South Africa: "National radio frequency plan gazetted," Southgate Amateur Radio Club
"Wireless and spectrum issues explored at Aspen Forum," (22-24 August), Technology Policy Institute press release
"Tire pressure monitor systems could reveal driver location," by Joab Jackson, IDG News (via ComputerWorld)
India: "Stricter guidelines soon for mobile radiation," by Sandeep Joshi, The Hindu
"Millionth femtocell to be shipped this year," ABI Research press release
"RFID's impact on employment," by Mark Roberti, RFID Journal
ProVision to release hub that streams 4 HDTV channels to different rooms simultaneously using the license-free 5 GHz band, by Stuart Miles, PocketLint
"Wireless technology breathes life into mature market," by Barb Checket-Hanks, Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News
Healthcare shifts to smarter Wi-Fi while going paperless, Ruckus Wireless press release (via PR Newswire)
"M-Payments in M-BRIC to reach approximately USD 60bn by 2015," Cellular News
"Analyst pegs RFID, 4G as key wireless trends," by Esther Shein, InformationWeek
"Wireless has emerged as the real game-changer," by Ziggy Switkowski, The Australian
8 August 2010
Boston: "MBTA turns to social media to help fight crime on [wireless equipped] trains," by Richard Weir, The Boston Herald
"In Wi-Fi classrooms, Bangalore's poor catch up," by V. Shoba, Indian Express
"Coffee shops are taking Wi-Fi off the menu," by Jessica Guynn, Los Angeles Times
7 August 2010
India's fastest growing WISP adds licensed spectrum to its license-free net, by Rashmi K. Pratap, Business Outlook India
"India, UK to develop next generation wireless systems," by Ramya Kannan, The Hindu
6 August 2010
"Marine communications site may interfere with garage door openers," by James Gilbert, The Yuma Sun
Namibia's cattle disease control program uses RFID ear-tags, Namibia Economist
"BlackBerry bans violate 'right of free use,' says Clinton," by Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica
"Gulf BlackBerry row lifts veil on state cyberspies," Reuters (via Digital Media Net
5 August 2010
New device monitors truck drivers' behavior, reports risks to insurer, Scope Technologies press release
"After 78 years in development, Dick Tracy's wrist radio finally arrives," by Robert Mullins, San Jose Examiner
"San Francisco phone-radiation law sparks proposals in California, Oregon," by Olga Kharif, Bloomberg News
"Will this phone kill you? The science of cell phones and cancer," by Sharon Begley, Newsweek
"RIM co-CEO Lazaridis rips into countries banning BlackBerry," by Geoff Duncan, Digital Trends
Wi-Fi improvements enable long-range rural coverage, by Jim Calderbank, European Communications
RFID market forecast, IDTechEx press release (via ElectroIQ)
Video: "IBM Emotiv headset demo" (using thought & eyebrow movements to control objects), V3.co.uk
"Wireless backhaul via satellite market: 'tremendous gains'," by David Sims, TMCnet
BAPSI Video: "Why Open Spectrum?" by Arun Mehta and Manasi Kumari Dash (via YouTube)
4 August 2010
Entrepeneur proposes mobile mesh network for free Wi-Fi in taxis & limousines in New York City, by Andrew Grossman, Wall Street Journal
"RFID: steering organizations towards operational efficiency," by Bert Moore, Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility
"Mobile phones, a bacteria magnet," The Asian Age
"Indonesia joins countries mulling BlackBerry ban," by Niniek Karmini, Associated Press (via Cellular News)
US: "Hams begin to populate GMRS with repeaters," Popular Wireless
"Motorola [introduces] encrypted mission critical Bluetooth earpiece," by Shamila Janakiraman, Wireless Headsets @ TMCnet
"FCC's secret neutrality deal won't apply to wireless," by Karl Bode, Broadband/DSL Reports
"RFID market skyrocketing in Asia, Australia," by Esther Shein, InformationWeek
"White spaces: technology overview," by Peter Stanforth, Network World
3 August 2010
"FCC denies MSTV's request for White Spaces documents," by Deborah D. McAdams, TV Technology
"NFL in discussions about using [RFID] chip-in-ball technology," by Patrick Johnston, Reuters
"Municipalities in Costa Rica to cash in on opening Of mobile telecommunications market," Inside Costa Rica
"Wi-Fi coverage on UK trains expands," Cellular News
"UAE: BlackBerry crackdown applies to visitors, too," by Adam Schreck, Associate Press (via Wireless Week)
"Saudi telcos to defy BlackBerry messenger ban," by Summer Said, Dow Jones Newswires (via Total Telecom)
RIM tells Indian Govt no one can access BlackBerry emails, not even RIM, Economic Times of India
"Dedicated mobile TV networks face uncertain future...," Juniper Research press release
"Gratis-WLAN sollte Standard in Hotels sein" [Free Wi-Fi should be standard in Hotels], ORF Futurezone (in German)
2 August 2010
On-board GPS to become a wireless telematics center relaying vehicle diagnostics, Fleet Owner
NSF workshop responds to US President's call for more funding of research into radio spectrum efficiency and access, National Science Foundation press release
"Bad guys could read RFID passports at 217 feet, maybe a lot more," by Tim Greene, Network World
"IBM's Digital Billboard displays individualized ads by reading the RFID data in your wallet," by Clay Dillow, Popular Science
"Tweeting with the birds: pitch tent, switch to Wi-Fi," by Kirk Siegler, [US] National Public Radio
"Buoyant market predicted for Wi-Fi enabled devices: report," by Mini Swamy, TMCnet
"Researchers craft algorithm to turn mesh networking green," by John Timmer, Ars Technica
"Ford researchers advancing crash avoidance capability with wireless technology," Ford Motor Company press release
US Federal Reserve leads payments industry NFC initiative, by Sarah Clark, Near Field Communications World
AT&T and Verizon in US venture to displace credit cards with NFC mobile payments, by Peter Eichenbaum and Margaret Collins, Bloomberg
"Bahrain will not ban BlackBerry services," by Mahmood Rafique, Zawya.com
"Kuwait might block BlackBerry services," by Habib Toumi, Gulf News
US Government backs RIM's refusal to compromise BlackBerry security, by Omar El Akkad, Globe and Mail
1 August 2010
Infinitec announces world's first dual-WiFi consumer product, Infinitec press release (via TechWhack)
31 July 2010
"Opening up the benefits of wireless," by Mark Abraham, Connecting Industry
Dubai producing low-power ICs for wireless sensor signal processing, Trade Arabia
30 July 2010
"Crucial for competition: don't require spectrum fees in advance," FastNetNews
"FCC plans busy third quarter on spectrum issues," by Alex Goldman, Enterprise Networking Planet
29 July 2010
"Wi-Fi-enabled devices to exceed 1.9 billion units by 2014," In-Stat press release
Bill would stop FCC from auctioning non-volunteered spectrum from broadcasters, by John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable
27 July 2010
12,000 people join Facebook campaign for free Wi-Fi in Zurich, by Benno Gasser, Tages Anzeiger (in German)
"Wi-Fi jacket delivers massages over very social networks," by Stuart Fox, MSNBC.com
"Silicon Valley Power's smartmeters to come with Wi-Fi," by Dana Hull, Mercury News
"Spectrum database solution enables access to 5GHz spectrum previously unavailable due to interference issues," Spectrum Bridge/Wireless ISP Association joint press release
"Surveys reveal US, UK consumer interest in more Wi-Fi services from mobile operators," Kineto press releases
"Radio telemetry system for wireless applications," ManufacturingTalk
"IEEE amendment brings base IEEE 802.11 WLAN to cars," by Sebastian Pop, Softpedia
"Amimon prototypes wireless 3D HD transmission system," by Alex Vochin, Softpedia
26 July 2010
"What's the value Of ZigBee?" by Nick Hunn, Wireless Design Line
DIY for 1/10th the normal cost: "Open-source, software-based GSM cellphone network," by Sean Michael Ragan, Make magazine
"Streaming web videos on your TV - wirelessly," by Liam McCabe, Forbes Magazine
"Smart meters to be largest wireless comms app, says analyst," by Richard Wilson, Electronics Weekly
"Spectrum policy in South Africa - necessary but far from sufficient," by Martyn Roetter, BMI-TechKnowledge
"WirelessHart approved as European standard," Automation World
NYC's Transit Wireless project back on track, by Pete Donohue, New York Daily News
"How are large-scale, dense Wi-Fi networks affecting radio management issues?" by John Cox, NetworkWorld
India: "Telecom firms bank on Wi-Fi," by Jayati Ghose, The Telegraph
25 July 2010
"BlackBerry poses social and security risks, UAE warns," by Raissa Kasolowsky, Reuters (via ABC News)
"Coming soon: Free Wi-Fi on flights?" by Samantha Bomkamp, Associated Press (via Mercury News)
Government silent on why all SMS services - and cellular in the north - have been blocked for a month, by Faheem Aslam, Greater Kashmir
24 July 2010
Pakistan: "WLL operators seeking to enter broadband business," by Muhammad Yasir, Daily Times
"Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity: allies now rather than rivals," by Paul Korzeniowski, Brighthand.com
"Boeing, GE want same spectrum of airwaves," by Sophia Yan and Christopher Flavelle, Bloomberg News (via The Wichita Eagle)
"Spying in the Red Dawn of Wi-Fi," by Igor Atamenenko, Counterpunch
"Magic of mobile phones and Wi-Fi foreseen 100 years ago," by Derek Scally, Irish Times
23 July 2010
"Taiwan-based WLAN makers hit record shipments in 2Q10," by Adam Hwang, DigiTimes
New standard announced for lower-power contactless charging, The Wireless Power Consortium press release
"Wireless HD technology developing slowly," by Esther Shein, InformationWeek
Excerpts from "In-depth analysis: Wireless HD Video Technology...," by Brian O'Rourke, In-Stat
"IT departments swamped by consumer devices," by John E Dunn, TechWorld
"Avery Dennison sees item-level RFID adoption accelerating in apparel industry," Avery Dennison press release
Mexico: "Demanda PRI sancionar a 'piratas' de radio y TV," Notimex (via La Cronica de Hoy)
"Wireless industry sues San Francisco, wants radiation levels hidden," Associated Press (via DigitalTrends)
"Wi-fi mobiles threaten 3G revenues," by Ian Grant, Computer Weekly
"All F1 radio traffic now eligible for broadcast," MotorSport.com
22 July 2010
"Antennas: Jobs was right. They're still a challenge," by Amy Thomson, BusinessWeek
"'Crisis' in availability of wireless spectrum is a myth, say researchers," by Christopher Mims, MIT Technology Review
"AT&T Wi-Fi use soared 30% in Q2," by Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service (via ComputerWorld)
"CRTC announces new policy to strengthen the community and campus radio sector," Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission press release
Canada: "Parks test out wireless Internet for campers," CTV News
New Zealanders increasingly depend on wireless Internet access, by Geoff Bascand, Statistics New Zealand
"Cordless phones emit as much radiation as cell phones," by Amitai Ziv and Ronny Linder-Ganz, Ha'aretz
"Open Radio Equipment Interface (ORI) for Efficient BaseStation Deployment," by Andreas Neubacher, LTE World Summit, May 2010 (via 3G/4G Wireless Blog)
21 July 2010
Magnetic wave system for underground communication successfully tested, Lockheed Martin press release
"Research Brief: 6 in 10 American adults online wirelessly," by Jack Loechner, Center for Media Research
20 July 2010
"Securing mobile devices," ISACA white paper
"DASH7 Alliance announces updated standard for wireless sensor networks," DASH7 Alliance press release
"Wireless Sensor Network Technology Trends Q2 2010," WTRS (via Research and Markets
"Social networking for cars," by John R. Quain, New York Times' Wheels blog
"6 brain sensors you'll be using soon," by Deane Rimerman, ReadWriteWeb
Free radio US: ClearChannel giving away AM (mediumwave) broadcasting stations, ClearChannel press release
"Bluetooth SIG launches application developers' contest," Bluetooth SIG press release
RFID: "Balancing privacy with convenience," by Rebecca Walberg, Financial Post
"Farnborough Air Show: wireless service transfers aircraft flight data at gate," Computer Weekly
UK: "Changes in law 'could be detrimental to consumers with open Wi-Fi'," by Derek Oldman, CompuTeach
US: "New spectrum bill authorizes auction revenue sharing," by Deborah D. McAdams, Television Broadcast
"Wireless hotspot shootout: MiFi v. Overdrive 4G," by Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica
19 July 2010
"New cafe concept in Tokyo? iPads at every table. Maru biru, 1st floor," by Tomoko Hosaka, TwitPic
"Damaka introduces first complete iPhone multi-party video conferencing solution Over WiFi, 3G and 4G networks," Damaka press release
"A detailed look at Apple's letter to the US government about location data collection," by Chad Catacchio, The Next Web
"Pirate radio station plan for uncensored Fiji news," Radio Australia
"RFID case studies knowledgebase - the largest in the world," IDTechEx (via Research and Markets)
"BT joins forces with Arqiva, Detica for smart meter bid," by David Meyer, ZDNet UK
"UK operators face challenge from BT in smart metering," by Keith Dyer, Mobile Europe
"Skimming devices on gas pumps sending stolen card numbers via Bluetooth," by Zeljka Zorz, Help Net Security
18 July 2010
Qatar: "School to use hi-tech child tracking system," by Raynald C. Rivera, The Peninsula
"Free speech for broadcasters, too," New York Times editorial
16 July 2010
"Local government and the wireless revolution," by Lucy Hood, Forbes Magazine
"Bye-bye batteries: radio waves as a low-power source," by Anne Eisenberg, New York Times
"Subaru Outback to double as Wi-Fi hot spot," by Caroline McCarthy, CNET's CarTech blog
"Wi-Fi available on 1 in 3 US planes," by Matt Hamblen, ComputerWorld
15 July 2010
"European Payments Council publishes NFC white paper," by Sarah Clark, Near Field Communications World
"Heretical thinking: new spectrum may not add value to the mobile communications industry," by Stefan Zehle, Coleago Consulting
"Tokyo trials digital billboards that scan passers-by," PhysOrg.com
"Cognitive radio designers strive for versatility without vulnerability," by Rupert Pengelley, Jane's Defence Weekly
Ending the industrial wireless standards battle - "Yokogawa weighs in," The Engineer
"Japan and Korea explore NFC sharing," Wireless Watch Japan
Visit our News Archive for earlier items. |
|
The Open Spectrum Foundation & an Associate Member of the |
What is Open Spectrum?"Open Spectrum" is based on the realization that technology can reduce or even eliminate the need for governments to micro-manage wireless communication. In different contexts it can be viewed as
In fact it is all of these... [more] |
|
"...more and more policy-makers are questioning the utility of licensing and demanding that licences be adapted to achieve policy goals without hindering market development and technological advancement... The allocation of spectrum for licence-exempt use is increasingly viewed as a catalyst for the development of more efficient and cost effective wireless technologies. By late 2004, 55 countries had allocated spectrum for unlicensed use..." ---Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2004-5: Licensing in an Era of Convergence, International Telecommunication Union, December 2004 |
|
Radio RightsIn February 2005, Open Spectrum UK filed comments in an Ofcom consultation, offering a human rights argument against radio licensing. This raised eyebrows as licensing is not often seen in that perspective. More eyebrows were raised when an Irish group, Scagaire, used a similar argument in their comments to ComReg during another consultation a few weeks later. So we asked Article 19, the highly regarded NGO based in London which monitors legal threats to freedom of expression around the world, if they had an opinion on radio licensing and communication rights. In response they released a 4-page analysis entitled "The legitimacy of licence requirements for the use of wireless communications devices." We urge you to read it. NOTES"Can spectrum licensing breach human rights law?" by Pamela Whitby and Martin Sims, PolicyTracker.com, 18 August 2005. "Open Spectrum UK's comments for Ofcom's 'Spectrum Framework Review' consultation," 15 February 2005. "Irish Policy Group Pushes for Unlicensed Spectrum," by Nancy Gohring, Wi-Fi Net News Europe, 7 March 2005. "Statement on the Right to Communicate," by Article 19 for the World Summit on the Information Society (Document WSIS/PC-2/CONTR/95-E), February 2003. |
