Designing Automated Enforcement for Spectrum Regulation Automating Enforcement at the Regulatory Authority Level

Spectrum scarcity has been the foundation of several arguments as to why innovative spectrum management initiatives are needed. Subsequently, the resolutions for spectrum management in an attempt to circumvent “scarcity” has pointedly been centralized towards optimizing spectrum allocation. By approaching spectrum management in this linear manner, efforts to alleviate spectrum management issues at the regulatory authority level have been limited if not non-existent. Whilst focusing on spectrum allocation as an ex-ante enforcement measure – which typically encompasses actions such as Spectrum Access Systems, the infrastructure and legal framework of this enforcement are often overlooked. There has been much discussion regarding whether it is best to take an ex ante or ex post approach to spectrum regulation and subsequent enforcement. However, we rarely delve into the in eventus (during an event) actions that would need to be implemented to ensure spectrum infractions aren't falling by the wayside. But how can we best accomplish this? Additionally, how are regulatory authorities supposed to maintain oversight of automated enforcement structures for incumbents, radio frequency interference, and/or schemes promoted for shared spectrum environments when the regulators do not have an automated enforcement structure capable of interfacing with those types of innovations? This research focuses on designing an automated enforcement scheme that strives to find a solution to implement a more in eventus enforcement framework for spectrum sharing at the regulatory authority level.