A comparison between European and North American wireless regulations

Following the European unification, the world´s wireless regulation and standardisation are divided into two major camps, Europe and North America, which differ in their approach to top-down mandated standards, licensing and harmonisation. The diverse cellular penetration and digital TV standards are derived from dissimilar coverage zones and population densities. Attitudes to RF human hazards and the regulation of licence-exempt, spurious emissions, UWB emission masks and cognitive radios reveal that the US and Canada are generally less conservative than Europe. The fundamental differences are presented, analysed and explained, and predictions outline the worldwide anticipated adoption of new technologies.