Program Information > Workshops > Regulatory

Setting the Regulatory Framework for Next Generation Radio Technologies

Wednesday, October 29
Led by Bernie Eydt, chair of the SDR Forum Regulatory Committee

Software defined and cognitive radio technologies will only succeed in the market place if the regulatory framework allows them to. Unfortunately, as more and more radio technologies supporting multimode operation and dynamic spectrum access enter the market, the advanced capabilities of these technologies challenge the legacy regulatory environment. If regulations remain as is, the result may be a win for incumbents in the advanced wireless market, but could represent a loss for new operators, existing end-users, innovative software developers, and many others.  This workshop will explore some of regulatory challenges inherent in software defined and cognitive radio, and propose ways forward for regulating the technology to benefit the industry and, more important, the users the industry serves.

“SDR 2.0 Certification and Accreditation: Do existing processes need reform?”
The features and capabilities of software defined radios can be updated in minutes using remote or over the air reprogramming capabilities, and the development time for these changes can often be measured in weeks or even months. Under today’s processes, the time associated with certifying that these changes will not cause harmful interference can often take much longer.  Moreover, the cost of such a certification could exceed the value of the change. This issue is compounded when considering cognitive radio technologies that can essentially “reprogram” themselves to adapt to a changing environment.

So given the capabilities of these new technologies, what should an updated certification and accreditation process look like?  To answer that question, this session will start with presentations on new risks inherent in next generation radio technology that the accreditation process needs to address as well as risk management processes or technical mechanisms that the accreditation process may need to evaluate. Presentations during this session will be given by:

• Dr. William Scott, General Dynamics C4S and Chair of the SDR Forum Security Work group
• Dr. Jung-Min "Jerry" Park, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech
• Dr. Shu Kato, Professor at Tohoku University and Program Coordinator at NICT

These presentations will be followed by an expert panel discussion, moderated by Dr. John Chapin of Vanu, on whether government regulators need to require and assess these mechanisms to protect public interests. Panellists will include:

• Eric Blossum, Founder, Blossum Research
• Dr. Douglas Sicker, University of Colorado
• Mr Michael Whittaker, Managing Director of Futurepace RF Solutions

“Pointing the finger: How should governments assign liability to promote the success of next generation radio technology”
If a rogue software defined or cognitive radio were to interrupt the TV broadcast of a championship football game, replacing it with a screen filled with snow, then the broadcaster would certainly face a barrage of complaints from viewers, and a potential loss in revenue from advertisers.  In most nations today, the manufacturer that sold the device would be responsible for any damages associated with such an occurrence.  However, in order for users to benefit from the flexibility inherent in next generation radio technologies, they need to be able to update software on the devices in ways that the manufacturer may not reasonably anticipate at point of sale, much like what occurs in the personal computing industry.  In a more open environment, entities in the value chain that might be liable for problems also include:

• The software developer that implemented the air interface protocols
• The software developer that wrote the operating system that allowed the rogue radio software to be loaded on the radio device
• The operator or end-user that downloaded the software onto the device

Clear liability assignment though statute and regulation could facilitate much quicker resolution of any problems that occur and give manufacturers, developers, and operators the assurance they need to make investments in the next generation radio technology space.  The problem is who should assume the liability.  Finding the right answer is critical to the growth of the industry.  This session will explore this question by examining the various proposed liability regimes. Presentations will be made by subject matter experts in this area including

• Dr. Klaus Moessner, Senior Research Fellow in Mobile Communications in the Centre for Communication Systems Research, The University of Surrey, UK and creator of the “SDR Responsibility Chain” concept
• Dr. Dale Hatfield, Adjunct Professor in the Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and former Chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology at the Federal Communications Commission
• Mr Michael Whittaker, Managing Director of Futurepace RF Solutions (www.futurepace.com.au) and principal architect of the method of spectrum licensing used in Australia involving space-centric management

The presentations will be followed by an expert panel discussion, moderated by Bernie Eydt, on why these approaches may or may not be successful, focusing in particular on liability issues inherent in TV white space communications. Panellists will include:

• Joe Jacob, Senior Vice President, Objective Interface Systems
• Steve Muir, Vice President, Vanu Inc.
• Dr. James Neel, President, Cognitive Radio Technologies, LLC
• Ellen Goodman, Rutgers University School of Law; Covington & Burling LLP

Afternoon Panel Discussion: “What Should the Incoming US Administration Do To Promote The Success of Next Generation Radio Technology”
 US citizens will elect a new President the week after the SDR Forum Technical Conference.  This panel discussion will focus on concrete steps the incoming Administration can take to help various communities of interest (military, public safety, household consumers) maximize the potential benefit of innovation in SDR and cognitive radio.  Areas to be addressed include communications regulation, research funding, large system procurements, and positions in international organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Panellist participating in this discussion will include:

• Bruce Oberlies, Senior Director of Advanced Technology and Strategy, Motorola
• Jennifer Warren, Vice President, Technology Policy & Regulation, Lockheed Martin Corporation
• Bernard Eydt, Chair, SDR Forum Regulatory Committee, and Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton
• Peter Tenhula, Vice President and General Counsel, Shared Spectrum Company

This panel will be moderated by Lee Pucker, CEO of the SDR Forum.