Every day we turn on our computer, connect with the wireless and are happy. This all works because of standards. The wireless network protocol stack and rules at layer 1 (physical layer, BITs) and layer 2 (data link, FRAMEs) are made by the IEEE. More precisely the 802.11 working-group is designing this standards and they’re downloadable but I’am still looking for the right link at https://standards.ieee.org, they changed something *grrr*
So the layer 1 and 2 basics and rules are in place but there must be an instance to check if the APs and wireless-NICs from different vendors are compatible with each other and with the IEEE rules and standards. This 3rd party is the „WIFI ALLIANCE„, they test the gear from the vendors out there.
A simple example, why a Regulatory Organization is needed, is if there are are two company’ss nearby, each with an active AP and both APs sending at the same frequency. The same as two colleagues are talking but each at the same time. The result is that is very hard to follow, now a person can talk louder so I can hear better but know the other person also talks louder and so an. But this is no way to handle this, there must be limits. This is the work of the Regulatory Organizations. The organize the usable frequencys and channels or the power rate that is allowed to use. There is the FCC in USA, the ETSI in Europe, the TELEC in Japan, in India the BRAI,…..