Brought to you as a public service of the Open Spectrum Foundation (Stichting Open Spectrum), Amsterdam - Prague

NEWS

Europe to legalize "iTrips" and other micro-broadcast devices?

From "Reality Bytes: Selling off the spectrum," by Adrian Weckler, Sunday Business Post (Dublin, Ireland), 28 May:

"There's finally some good news for frustrated motorists struggling to find a way of connecting their iPods to their car stereos. The chairwoman of ComReg [Ireland's telecom regulator], Isolde Goggins, has revealed to this column that the ban on iTrip devices - the little in-car gadgets beloved in the US - will soon be lifted.

"Up to now, the devices were deemed illegal, because they 'broadcast' an iPod's songs over a few inches of air to a radio, thereby contravening Irish broadcasting legislation.

" 'We've been looking at this for awhile,' said Goggin. 'A new European standard is emerging that will allow the use of iTrips and other such devices. We expect it to be in place in the near future.'

"What interests Goggin and ComReg about those few inches of air between an iTrip and a car radio is the space's spectrum. And the iTrip isn't the only thing on Goggin's mind, when it comes to new thinking on spectrum management.

"This coming Wednesday, she will front a major conference on what is to be done with the spectrum that surrounds all of us.... The conference aims to discuss ways ComReg can start taking itself out of spectrum management... An OECD workshop conference entitled Toward More Flexible Spectrum Use: The Digital Dividend? will be held at the O'Reilly Hall in [University College Dublin] this Wednesday..."
__________

ElectricNews.net provides some additional details about the ComReg/OECD event:

"At the all day workshop, a range of high-profile international speakers will focus on reform of radio spectrum management. The workshop will explore factors driving changes in spectrum management. It will also deal with the issue of new technology and experience of regulatory changes. The workshop will be attended by government representatives from over thirty member countries of the OECD as well as technology experts, industry representatives, economists and spectrum experts...."

[Wireless: 29 May 2006]