The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) has examined the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) rules, which go into effect today, governing Software Defined Radio (SDR) devices and concluded that the rules do not restrict the activities of independent developers and distributors of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) designed for use with SDR devices. While the FCC’s position on FOSS is more conservative than is necessary, the FCC has given a qualified endorsement to the use of FOSS by SDR manufacturers by recognizing the benefits of using FOSS in wireless products. The FCC’s SDR rules create an opportunity for wireless hardware manufacturers, the FOSS community, and the FCC to communicate openly and productively about the ability of public disclosure and open standards to strengthen the security and robustness of wireless devices.
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