Regulation and research on wireless communications

This paper describes which are the major changes would occur in regulation policies and role of the regulation bodies due to the advance of technology development, research and innovation in telecommunications. The so-called open spectrum, instead of free-spectrum, seems to offer great opportunities to all current players, from operators to technology providers. Open spectrum gives room also to new players mainly for those applications encompassed as short range communications scenarios. This paper remarks that in the vision of future radio communications the regulator, in addition to its current duties, will assume an important role on conducting and funding research needed to properly face this new role. Finally an example is provided, which takes advantage of an included reference, in order to put in evidence how many fundamentals of current wireless research will be revisited with unexpected results.