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NEWS

Can interference be managed without strict regulation of transmitters?

A new website has come online to support a European Commission research project: Interferencemanagement.eu will mainly be a forum for exploring new ways to deal with interference:

"Traditionally, management of the radio spectrum has been based around tight technical control of the parameters of radio transmitters (and, to a certain extent, radio receivers as well)... This project will attempt to define mechanisms whereby it is the actual interference caused by transmitters to other users, rather than the transmitter parameters themselves, that is controlled..."

Regulators typically try to prevent interference by limiting the characteristics of transmitters. That is true whether frequencies are regulated with a command and control, tradable license or license-free commons approach. But that is an indirect "ex ante" method, based entirely on probabilities, so the rules must be very conservative. Too conservative, some say:

"It has been argued by a number of parties that the current process of assessment of technical radio compatibility in Europe leads to unduly restrictive regulations which prioritise the protection of existing services and which therefore restrain the introduction of innovative wireless technologies, with substantial negative economic consequences."

(That is a quote from the researchers' Terms of Reference.) In other words, they are to consider the possibility of moving away from a "zero tolerance" approach to interference, towards balancing the costs of interference - and interference prevention - with the benefits of greater hardware flexibility and solutions devised by users.

One idea that they are supposed to look at is "whether only radio receivers that meet certain additional requirements against unacceptable signal degradation ought to be protected" rather than all receivers operating in support of a licensed service. They should also consolidate our understanding of "aggregate" interference from multiple devices operating at the same time and place. Tradable interference rights and private spectrum-sharing agreements are other possible areas of investigation.

The researchers will have a public workshop "to inform interested parties of the issues which the study is addressing, and to collect views on the current mechanisms associated to radio compatibility assessment, as well as the means to improve the effectiveness of such mechanisms." The workshop will be 3 May 2007 at the Novotel Brussels Centre, Rue de la Vierge Noire 32 / Zwarte Lievevrouwstraat 32 (Brussels, Belgium). Space is limited so early reservations are recommended. Contact Annie Joret by e-mail (ajoret@erabrussels.be) or by telephone +32 2 7357260.

[Spectrum Policy - 26 March 2007]