Reconfiguration control and management, download of protocol and other reconfiguration software, and initial access to ‘unknown’ networks are prime functionalities that are required for over the air (OTA) reconfigurable software (defined) radios. There is a need for additional network infrastructure, capable of supporting reconfiguration and seamless cross system roaming and mobility management. There are multiple reasons for networks to support software (defined) radios: the number of co-existing radio access standards will be huge and it can be assumed that one single radio standard will hardly be able to deliver multimedia services constantly at ‘anytime, anywhere, and in any QoS’. Additionally, to enable cross system mobility, the access networks require additions to form a unified signaling infrastructure that will be able to provide a platform for signaling for mobility and call management, as well as for billing/accounting information gathering.
Three approaches to such issues have been proposed – a network access and connectivity channel, a bootstrap channel, and a global/universal control channel – which we describe in the next pages. We then conclude with a brief discussion of the wider issues relating to the plethora of wireless access networks and their interconnection to provide the criteria for seamless interconnection and roaming that are claimed as the ultimate promise of reconfigurable networks.

• The Network Access and Connectivity Channel (NACCH)
• The Bootstrap Channel
• Global or Universal Control Channel (UCCH)