SpectrumTalk

Cognitive Radio Attracts a Crowd to Dublin

The second IEEE Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks (DySPAN) Conference has attracted 290 registrants to Dublin this week. NTIA head Assistant Secretary of Commerce John M. R. Kneuer was the keynote speaker. No one from FCC is attending.

A highlight of the conference was the first public demonstration of the DARPA-funded xG cognitive radio developed by Shared Spectrum, Inc.

Why no one from FCC at this cutting edge spectrum policy and technology conference which highlights US progress in the field and has very visible NTIA participation? A previous post describes FCC avoidance of conferences in recent years. Another factor has much longer standing: The FCC International Bureau controls all international travel and gives near absolute priority to any ITU and similar international organizational meetings. So it is more likely to send 2 people to an obscure ITU-R meeting than send anyone to a non-ITU meeting that might be of greater benefit to US interests but not to IB. Thus any overseas "get smart" travel other than by intimates of the 8th floor has a snow ball's chance of getting funded.