Title: Vision and Regulatory Framework to Promote the Evolution of Dynamic Spectrum Access
Presenter: Peter A. Tenhula, Shared Spectrum Company (USA)
Abstract: Domestic and international regulatory bodies are making attempts to facilitate the introduction of new wireless innovations such as dynamic spectrum access (DSA) and cognitive radio (CR) technologies. Current and future spectrum demand as well as years of growing regulatory support for innovative wireless technologies has produced an environment that is conducive to spectrum sharing approaches and technologies that can, as U.S. President Barak Obama stated last summer, "wring abundance from scarcity by finding ways to use spectrum more efficiently."

In the U.S., the DSA proceeding initiated in 2010 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) addresses important questions on the state of development of these "smart" radio technologies, including those that use spectrum sensing, databases or other sharing capabilities. In Europe, the U.K.'s Office of Communications (OFCOM), the European Commission's Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) and the COST-TERRA initiative are exploring regulatory actions and frameworks to enable implementation of DSA and CR technologies.

This presentation reviews the various visions that have been expressed for the regulatory evolution and market deployment of DSA on a more wide-spread basis. Through these perspectives, three overlapping stages are described during which specific steps should be taken by regulators to facilitate further development and deployment. Finally, a specific recommendation is outlined that that involves the development of a "policy-based" regulatory framework for DSA across multiple spectrum bands. This framework includes an overview of several types of spectrum sharing policy rules that are necessary to take into account incumbent protection requirements and incentives.