Wi‐Fi and Bluetooth: the path from Carter and Reagan‐era faith in deregulation to widespread products impacting our world

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a historical account of the May 1985 spread spectrum FCC decision. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a case study giving a first‐person account of decision making at the FCC in 1985. Findings The May 1985 decision did not start as an attempt to bring specific products to market, but as part of a program to remove anachronistic technical regulations and allow a free market in innovative technology, subject only to responsible interference limits. Research limitations/implications Research limitations encompass typical limitations of a narrow case study of a historical event. Practical implications The paper guides future decision making in telecommunications policy. Originality/value The paper reflects the path of deregulation in the 1980s resulting in widespread product innovation in the twenty‐first century.