[kwlug-disc] FCC Rules Block use of Open Source

[Chris Irwin]

On Sun, Aug 30, 2015 at 06:01:59PM -0400, Joseph Wennechuk wrote:
> http://www.itsmypart.com/fcc-rules-block-use-of-open-source/
> 
> Will this also happen with crtc?

Ultimately, it doesn't matter. We very probably won't get separate
hardware in Canada.

I can see where they're coming from. Radios were fairly restricted in
frequencies and power. To lessen production costs, radios are now
software controlled.

So hardware that used to be very restricted is now only so unless the
user knows how to ask. The FCC realizes that they can't go out and find
every user with a modified router pumping their wifi >1W, or operating on
channels 12-14.

They've taken a step back and noted that their certifications already
require that radios can't be used outside their allowable ranges. From
my understanding, the FCC is asking if they should put a "no, really,
enforce this" to the end of that, and ensure manufacturers actually
don't allow their radios to operate out of bounds.

As much as everybody is up in arms about preventing open source on
routers/phones, I think this blurb sums it up:

> Commenters on a Hacker News thread on the topic have noted that
> channel selection and power management only apply to the ‘baseband
> processor’, so the impact could be constrained to that subsystem. The
> counterpoint is that many systems on chip (SoC) now incorporate the
> baseband, and even when they don’t the baseband is usually configured
> externally by the main firmware.

I think we'll see this problem "solved" at the component manufacturer:
Intel, Broadcom, etc. They'll probably figure out a way to have signed
radio firmware, or a signed set of frequency/power restrictions. I can't
imagine them leaving the problem up to individual device manufactuers to
figure out.

-- 
Chris Irwin

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