The British Parliament has finally rubber stamped a special instrument (SI) which directs regulator Ofcom to go ahead with a range of spectrum reforms, some of which will await the outcome of a competition assessment. Read more...

After years of edging ever closer Thailand finally has a 3G service, albeit one run by MVNOs over a state-owned network and limited to the capital Bangkok. Plans for auctioning commercial 2.1 GHz licenses are still up in the air. Read more...

Potential problems for femtocells like interference, providing emergency service location information and common definitions for the technology are being raised in international forums but a consensus has yet to emerge on how to deal with them Read more...

After several months of operating with only three commissioners and no chairman the board of US regulator the Federal Communications Commission is (barring a major surprise) back to a full five-strong complement. Read more...

Frustration is growing among policy-makers and politicians as a dispute between the European Parliament and Council of Ministers holds up the allocation of spectrum they regard as vital to Europe’s economic recovery. Read more...

It is health services and the transport sector that will be transformed by wireless technologies over the next decade says the UK regulator, not the communications industry Read more...

The first ruling from the European Court of Justice on frequency management under the EU regulatory framework contains a strong rebuke for Italy for freezing out new entrants in the TV market. Read more...

Michael Whittaker, the architect of Australia's liberalised spectrum management framework, warns that the self regulation proposed by Ofcom in 1.5GHz could allow companies to devalue their competitors' licences. Read more...

Hong Kong endorses a market based approach to spectrum management but raises eyebrows with the expected announcement of a technology specific mobile licence. Read more...

Ofcom has confirmed it has no immediate plans to apply a technology and service neutral approach to existing licences. Read more...

In May 2004 the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) made a controversial proposal to better utilise the broadcast spectrum which never saw the light of day. It has now resurfaced and here former FCC employee, Michael Marcus, examines the detail. Read more...

PolicyTracker predicts the year will be dominated by RRC-06; the decision on technology neutrality in 2.5 GHz and the review of the Communciations Framework Directive. Read more...