A system and method for defining one or more operating characteristics of a communication device with data is disclosed. In one embodiment, the communication device includes an input port configured to receive a data file that includes information that defines at least one communication protocol for the communication device, and the communication device includes a data file interpreter configured to alter operation of a radio in the communication device in accordance with the at least one communication protocol. In variations, the communication device includes an RFID tag reader coupled to the radio portion, and the tag reader segment is configured to read tag-data received via the radio. In these variations, the data file interpreter is configured to alter operation of the RFID tag reader in accordance with information in the data file, which defines, at least in part, a syntax for RFID reader commands.