New directions for spectrum management

Abstract

Changes in communications technology and markets have placed great strains on traditional approaches to spectrum regulation, which have had difficulty coping with the current rate of change in radiocommunications. New technologies including mobile telephony and wireless broadband posed challenges for governments who needed faster and more objective means of allocating spectrum to competing commercial interests. Spectrum regulators have turned increasingly to market-based and more flexible approaches to regulation, including auctions, pricing and trading. Challenges for the future include improving technology neutrality, improving the efficiency of use of government spectrum, and deciding how much spectrum to set aside for the spectrum commons.The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not represent the views of ACMA. Copyright 2008 Geoff Luther. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the written consent of the publisher.