Several forms of wireless technologies became essential to disseminate connectivity at the edges of the Internet. As a consequence, the relevance of pluralist participation in radio spectrum regulatory policies cannot be overstated. With increasing demand for access to mobile communication services, efficient and equitable allocation and use of spectrum is essential to ensure widespread benefit from access to this critical asset of the commons. Recent developments in radio technologies and the upcoming (or already present) transition to digital television open up significant opportunities for local governments, local entrepreneurs and communities to create innovative applications. Of particular interest to communities at the edge of the Internet which this workshop will address in a dialogue using the roundtable format are: - monitoring on actual/effective use of already allocated spectrum chunks at the local level; - opportunities and challenges derived from the worldwide transition to digital TV, regarding community-level use of spectrum in the VHF/UHF bands reallocated or freed up in that transition; - regulatory and legislative processes which might affect various forms of spectrum usage (light licensing, shared spectrum and secondary use) for local entrepreneurs, communities and local governments, in view of the latest advancements in cognitive radio technologies.
