New FCC Rules May Impact Linux-Based Devices
New U.S. regulations went into effect July 6 that could change how vendors of devices with software-defined radios use open-source software. The new rules could impact manufacturers of mobile phones, Wi-Fi cards and other devices that use SDR technologies. SDR technologies are commonly used in today's mobile phones and Wi-Fi equipment. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's new regulations are apparently aimed at ensuring that users of such equipment cannot access source code needed to reprogram it—for example, to output more power, or operate on inappropriate frequencies, either of which could conceivably endanger public safety.
