Unlicensed to kill: a brief history of the Part 15 rules
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief history on the Part 15 rules.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach takes the form of a systematic overview of spectrum policy applied to rules governing unlicensed devices since 1938.
Findings
Much of the policy debate in the last decade has been couched in terms of how spectrum rights are defined. The jurisprudence underlying the Part 15 rules is that unlicensed spectrum is not spectrum at all. Rather, the rules concentrate on the effective power and modulation characteristic of the radio devices themselves. Perhaps this is the next great idea for all spectrum policy: spectrum does not really exist. It is merely an idea – a concept – a way of describing and organizing the physical world in people's minds and actions. Spectrum is a legal and engineering construct to control for an immutable fundamental physical property.
Research limitations/implications
Research limitations encompass typical limitations of a case study of a historical event.
Practical implications
The paper informs ongoing efforts to update and modernize spectrum policy.
Originality/value
The paper provides a retrospective view of spectrum policy.
Keywords
Citation
Carter, K.R. (2009), "Unlicensed to kill: a brief history of the Part 15 rules", info, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 8-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636690910989306
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited