The European UWB Radio Regulatory and Standards Framework: Overview and Implications

The European regulatory and standards processes for UWB radio technology are reviewed and their implications are discussed. On February 21, 2007, the Commission of the European Communities published its "Commission Decision" on the implementation of an UWB radio regulatory framework for the European Union. This milestone was reached after a rather complex technical evaluation process, guided by mandates issued by the European Commission, and difficult negotiations between many stakeholders with much diverging interests. This regulatory decision provides the needed foundation for ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, to establish harmonizing standards for a broad range of UWB radio applications. Both the power limits and usage constraints to be imposed in Europe differ in significant parts from those established in 2002 by the FCC in the USA. However, the unique properties and benefits offered by UWB radio remain a viable incentive for establishing a European ecosystem based on this technology. This view applies specifically to wireless sensor networks, including identification and location tracking systems operating above 6 GHz.