v3.0 wants a firmware for rt2870 but v2.6.39 needn't

Hello,

I've just updated my kernel to 3.0 and now my wireless card using a
rt2870 chip doesn't work anymore.

It wants now a firmware rt2870.bin whereas this wasn't needed for older kernels.

Is this expected ? If so why the firmware is now mandatory whereas it
wasn't previously ?

Thanks
-- 
Francis