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FCC has issued guidance for manufacturers to protect against modifications that would break FCC rules. The easiest way to do that is to have a closed-source ba
by nzmsv 5y ago
FCC has issued guidance for manufacturers to protect against modifications that would break FCC rules. The easiest way to do that is to have a closed-source baseband firmware.
https://prplfoundation.org/fcc-open-source-router-software-is-still-legal-under-certain-conditions/ https://prplfoundation.org/fcc-open-source-router-software-i...
- netr0ute 5y agoSometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
- penagwin 5y agoSomething tells me you might have a difficult time convincing say Qualcomm with just that reasoning.
- netr0ute 5y agoYou could conceivably reverse-engineer the hardware if you got the support of places like MIT, and then it's fair game from there.
- trothamel 5y agoAsking might come with a large fine if 911 service is interrupted.
- netr0ute 5y agoA fine might actually be lower cost than losing freedom to binary blobs, so there's that.
- oneplane 5y agoBut most of the time Quallcomm, Broadcom and the others have an army of lawyers and an absurd amount of money to burn to ensure that your project, life and general existence is ruined, just to protect their bottom line.
- rkangel 5y agoIt depends what you mean by 'closed-source'. Yes it's probably impossible to certify a radio baseband that anyone can hack on. It would be possible to manufacture a radio baseband for which all the source code was public and anyone could verify that that source code was running.
- R0b0t1 5y agoThere is no legal requirement to close the baseband off. They tried to close off routers in the same way and got pushback.
- randyrand 5y agoOpen hardware means that people can be their own manufacturer. There are lots of places that will make PCBs for you, and sell you the parts to solder together.