BNetzA

Bundesnetzagentur für Elektrizität, Gas, Telekommunikation, Post und Eisenbahnen (BNetzA). The Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway is a separate higher federal authority within the scope of business of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour, and has its headquarters in Bonn. On 13 July 2005 the Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications and Posts which superseded the Federal Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (BMPT) and the Federal Office for Posts and Telecommunications (BAPT), was renamed Federal Network Agency. Moreover, it acts as the root certification authority as provided for by the Electronic Signatures Act. The Federal Network Agency's task is to provide, by liberalization and deregulation, for the further development of the electricity, gas, telecommunications and postal markets and, as from 1 January 2006, also of the railway infrastructure market.

The BNetzA took an active participation at national and European levels in the elaboration of the regulatory framework applicable to radio equipment. It is responsible, for the implementation of this regulation, in particular, it receives the equipment notification when relevant and is responsible for market surveillance. It is finally also involved, nationally, in the Review of the above mentioned regulatory framework to ensure that SDR/cognitive equipment will be appropriately covered.In order to prevent an unnecessary delay in the introduction of SDR/cognitive terminals in flexible scenarios, BNetzA is also actively involved in national and European research Project and standardization Bodies like ETSI including 3 GPP in order to address the standardisation and regulatory issues at an early stage to set all the necessary processes in motion.