Digital Regulator - Regulations on-the-fly
Wireless spectrum, although invisible to the naked eyes, is a huge asset to any country. Spectrum regulators all over the world contributed huge income to the nation through spectrum auctions. For example, Germany raised over EUR 50 billion through their 3G auctions back in 2000. The auctioned spectrum typically last for a certain period stipulated by the respective regulator, e.g., 20 years, after which the regulator has the right to retrieve the spectrum for other purposes. To put in perspective, EUR 50 billion over 20 years is equivalent to a whopping EUR 6.85 million per day ! Side note: 3G licenses for most countries will expire in early 2020’s. On the other hand, regulators also allocate unlicensed spectrum to serve different needs, e.g., cordless phone in your home or Wi-Fi in your office. These wireless systems need to be setup quickly and easily by end users and are best to avoid lengthy licensing process. In other words, the end users do not need to get a spectru