FCC comes to CCC? "No GSM test network at 32C3"

[oshwm]

These boys and girls should probably approach Vodafone.
I wouldn't be surprised that if Vodafone isn't using the frequency range
or its not particularly congested they might allow its use.

They are a funny bunch, Vodafone, and despite some 'difficult' business
practices can sometimes be helpful :)


On 15/11/15 21:16, coderman wrote:
> http://laforge.gnumonks.org/blog/20151115-no_gsm_at_32c3/
> 
> No GSM test network at 32C3
> 
> Harald Welte
> 
> 2015-11-15
> 
> I currently don't assume that there will be a GSM network at the 32C3.
> 
> Ever since OpenBSC was created in 2008, the annual CCC congress was a
> great opportunity to test OpenBSC and related software with thousands
> of willing participants. In order to do so, we obtained a test licence
> from the German regulatory authority. This was never any problem, as
> there was a chunk of spectrum in the 1800 MHz GSM band that was not
> allocated to any commercial operator, the so-called DECT guard band.
> It's called that way as it was kept free in order to ensure there is
> no interference between 1800 MHz GSM and the neighboring DECT cordless
> telephones.
> 
> Over the decades, it was determined on a EU level that this guard band
> might not be necessary, or at least not if certain considerations are
> taken for BTSs deployed in that band.
> 
> When the German regulatory authority re-auctioned the GSM spectrum
> earlier this year, they decided to also auction the frequencies of the
> former DECT guard band. The DECT guard band was awarded to Vodafone.
> 
> This is a pity, as this means that people involved with cellular
> research or development of cellular technology now have it
> significantly harder to actually test their systems.
> 
> In some other EU member states it is easier, like in the Netherlands
> or the UK, where the DECT guard band was not treated like any other
> chunk of the GSM bands, but put under special rules. Not so in
> Germany.
> 
> To make a long story short: Without the explicit permission of any of
> the commercial mobile operators, it is not possible to run a
> test/experimental network like we used to ran at the annual CCC
> congress.
> 
> Given that
> 
>     the event is held in the city center (where frequencies are
> typically used and re-used quite densely), and
>     an operator has nothing to gain from permitting us to test our
> open source GSM/GPRS implementations,
> 
> I think there is little chance that this will become a reality.
> 
> If anyone has really good contacts to the radio network planning team
> of a German mobile operator and wants to prove me wrong: Feel free to
> contact me by e-mail.
> 
> Thanks to everyone involved with the GSM team at the CCC events,
> particularly Holger Freyther, Daniel Willmann, Stefan Schmidt, Jan
> Luebbe, Peter Stuge, Sylvain Munaut, Kevin Redon, Andreas Eversberg,
> Ulli (and everyone else whom I may have forgot, my apologies). It's
> been a pleasure!
> 
> Thanks also to our friends at the POC (Phone Operation Center) who
> have provided interfacing to the DECT, ISDN, analog and VoIP network
> at the events. Thanks to roh for helping with our special patch
> requests. Thanks also to those entities and people who borrowed
> equipment (like BTSs) in the pre-sysmocom years.
> 
> So long, and thanks for all the fish!
> 

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