A Regulatory Perspective on Cognitive Radio and Spectrum Sharing

The purpose of this chapter is to give a regulatory perspective on cognitive radio. Cognitive radio can be seen as a natural part of the roadmap for advanced communication systems and from this standpoint can be dealt with within the context of normal regulations. However one of the key and unique advantages of cognitive radio is that it is an enabler of spectrum sharing in its many forms. Hence the main part of this chapter is devoted to different regulations in spectrum sharing and the implications for cognitive radio. It looks at regulations which are in existence as well as emerging regulations. The chapter also provides a generic framework in which to place different sharing regimes.