While the removal of competitive barriers is to be lauded, it is imperative to keep in mind that the interoperability debate is not only targeted at incentivising cross-platform competition.

How else will this agreement spur interoperability progress?

It further defines Command and Control Interoperability as "the degree to which different forces, including forces from different nations, within NATO can work together in the planning and execution of combined and/ or joint operations across the spectrum of conflict.

"The AeroMACS Interoperability test which took place this week is extremely important for the AeroMACS Program," said Brent Phillips, AeroMACS Program lead at the FAA.

In this paper, interoperability is defined as a technical solution that enables two or more software applications to exchange data and achieve a common objective even if the two applications were not originally intended to cooperate.

In addition to the cross-license agreement, reciprocal testing service agreements were signed between Huawei and NSN where both companies offer interoperability testing opportunities for the licensed interfaces under OSSii.

The OSS Interface licencing and interoperability testing will also be offered to third-party OSS vendors.

The Cerner Interoperability Certification Program is designed to create truly integrated platforms that transform health and care delivery by enabling health systems, hospitals and practices/clinics to achieve their information exchange goals and improved outcomes.

The interoperability is considered as a software property in the software engineering field, with slightly different definitions when used in different applied contexts, for example, IEEE has provided four definitions about interoperability [11].

Software interoperability is the focus of another competition probe by the European Commission.

"I see interoperability as taking first place: it is called a force multiplier.