Spectrum Trading: An Abstracted Bibliography

This document contains a bibliographic list of major papers on spectrum trading and their abstracts. The aim of the list is to offer researchers entering this field a fast panorama of the current literature. The list is continually updated on the webpage \url{http://www.disp.uniroma2.it/users/naldi/Ricspt.html}. Omissions and papers suggested for inclusion may be pointed out to the authors through e-mail (\textit{[email protected]})

The European UTMS/IMT2000 license auctions

We survey the recent European UMTS license auctions and compare their outcomes with the predictions of a simple model that emphasizes future market structure as a main determinant of valuations for licenses. Since the main goal of most spectrum allocation procedures is economic efficiency, and since consumers (who are affected by the ensuing market structure) do not participate at the auction stage, good designs must alleviate the asymmetry among incumbents and potential entrants by actively encouraging entry

The European UMTS/IMT-2000 License Auctions

We survey the recent European UMTS license auctions and compare their outcomes with the predictions of a simple model that emphasizes future market structure as a main determinant of valuations for licenses. Since the main goal of most spectrum allocation procedures is economic efficiency, and since consumers (who are affected by the ensuing market structure) do not participate at the auction stage, good designs must alleviate the asymmetry among incumbents and potential entrants by actively encouraging entry.

Chinese Experience with Global G3 Standard-Setting

China’s growth strategy as set out in the 11th 5-year plan in 2005 called for upgrading of product quality, the development of an innovation society, and reduced reliance on foreign intellectual property with high license fees. Consistent with this policy, China has been involved in recent years with the development of a Chinese standard in third generation (3G) mobile phone technology, both in negotiating the standard and seeing it through to commercialization. This is the first case of a developing country both originating and successfully negotiating a telecommunications standard and this experience raises issues for China’s future development strategy based on product and process upgrading in manufacturing. We argue that while precedent setting from an international negotiating point of view, the experience has thus far is unproven commercially. But the lessons learned will benefit future related efforts in follow-on technologies if similar Chinese efforts are made.This paper documents Chinese standard-setting efforts from proposal submission to ITU to the current large-scale trial network deployment in China and overseas trial networks deployment. We discuss the underlying objectives for this initiative, evaluate its effectiveness, and assess its broader implications for Chinese development policy.

A Spectrum Sharing Solution for the Efficient Use of mmWave Bands in 5G Cellular Scenarios

Regulators all around the world have started identifying the portions of the spectrum that will be used for the next generation of cellular networks. A band in the mmWave spectrum will be exploited to increase the available capacity. In response to the very high expected traffic demand, a sharing mechanism may make it possible to use the spectrum more efficiently. In this work, moving within the European and Italian regulatory conditions, we propose the use of Licensed Spectrum Access (LSA) to coordinate sharing among cellular operators. Additionally, we show some preliminary results on our research activities which are focused on a dynamic spectrum sharing approach applied in simulated 5G cellular scenarios.Comment: to be published in IEEE International Symposium on Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks (IEEE DySPAN 2018), Seoul, Korea, Oct, 201

Radio spectrum reforms and associated effects on market liberalisation

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, in ICT Policy and Regulation, University of the Witwatersrand, 2016There is a common opinion among researchers and experts that efficient management of radio spectrum plays a vital role in ensuring universal access to telecommunications services. The objective of this study was to identify radio spectrum reforms and their associated effects on market liberalisation. It was postulated that appropriate radio spectrum reforms would be catalysts for market liberalisation. The evolution of command-and-control approaches in relation to market-based approaches was assessed. The research involved literature critique, review of policies as that relates to history of radio spectrum management in South Africa and across the world, and radio spectrum regulations analysis in South Africa. Interviews of radio spectrum industry experts and documents study of the evolution of telecommunications regulatory environment with respect to radio spectrum management and market liberalisation were also used as main sources of research. The purpose of the literature critique, review of policies, regulations and documents was to identify hints of radio spectrum reforms and measure qualitatively the extent of market liberalisation. While interviews of radio spectrum industry experts were used to ascertain industry response to strides made as far as radio spectrum and market liberalisation in South Africa. It was observed that initially, in most parts of the world and in South Africa, market liberalisation progressed quickly despite appreciable correlation with radio spectrum reforms. Early radio spectrum reforms, such as the establishment of an independent regulator of the industry and radio spectrum, had contributed to some level of market liberalisation with creation of oligopolistic telecommunication market, and had increased to radio spectrum by Vodacom, MTN and Cell C having access to both 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands. However, perpetual practise of command-and-control, an efficient radio spectrum management encouraged hoarding. The literature review and interview provided seven main contributions of reforms in the form of strides. These strides formed the basis for the research framework: 1) establishment of an independent regulator of the industry and radio spectrum, 2) increased access to radio spectrum, 3) service and technology neutrality on radio spectrum, 4) essential facilities to enable sharing, 5) market-based approaches radio spectrum pricing: AIP, 6) service-based competition versus infrastructure-based competition, and 7) non-rival, non-exclusive usage of radio spectrum. The conclusion is that increasing access to radio spectrum and the independent regulator were not primary determinants of market liberalisation. An analytic framework has been used to show that market liberalisation reached a plateau phase, with a few incumbents becoming dominant and creating an oligopolistic market structure. It is at this point that further market liberalisation could be stimulated by additional radio spectrum reforms. The command-and-control approach remains the main bottleneck source for access and efficiency in radio spectrum management, which encourages rival and exclusive use of radio spectrum. It has been observed that market-based radio spectrum reforms have also entrenched rivalry and exclusivity in the use of radio spectrum. Radio spectrum reforms that encourage non-rivalry and non-exclusivity, such as open-access to radio spectrum, are highly recommended in this research.GR201

The European UMTS/IMT-2000 license auctions

We survey the recent European UMTS license auctions and compare their outcomes with the predictions of a simple model that emphasizes future market structure as a main determinant of valuations for licenses. Since the main goal of most spectrum allocation procedures is economic efficiency, and since consumers (who are affected by the ensuing market structure) do not participate at the auction stage, good designs must alleviate the asymmetry among incumbents and potential entrants by actively encouraging entry