Up the revolution [radio spectrum allocation]

In November 2004, Ofcom, the UK´s communications industry regulator, published the ´spectrum framework review´ (SFR) document on how radio spectrum should be managed. This article details that The central message of the SFR is that market forces and price signals should play a much greater role in spectrum management. More specifically, Ofcom believes that, by 2010, 71.5% of the radio spectrum should be managed via market mechanisms - compared with none at all in 2000. This is an incredibly ambitious target, and this article discusses whether it is worth the effort - and if it is worthwhile, whether it is practicable.