Regulatory challenges and implications of the European electronic communications code (EECC) for local mobile communication network business

Regulatory provisions pose legal constraints on deploying mobile communication networks and related services. Local 5G and upcoming 6G networks, particularly those that are independent of the big mobile network operators (MNOs), face new challenges due to the incoherent harmonization and implementation of the regulatory provisions and the standby approach undertaken by many EU member countries. This paper analyses the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) Directive from the perspective of local mobile communication networks by combining business model innovation and legitimacy approaches in an ecosystemic context. Based on the analysis, we recommend regulators focus on terminology, spectrum management, access and interconnection, security and privacy, and competition when enabling local mobile communications business

Toward an integrated framework for developing European 6G innovation

This article contributes to the discussion on 6G and European policy development, outlining an integrated framework for Europe to benefit from 6G innovation in the future, both as a developer and user of 6G technologies. As 6G is envisioned as a general-purpose technology that can transform the whole of society, there is a need to adopt a broader perspective to innovation compared to earlier technology generations. This proposed framework comprises five elements: national and European sovereignty, triple bottom line sustainability, a competitive transformational innovation policy, European values-based anticipatory regulation, and trustworthy networks that addresses the privacy, security, and safety of users and resilience of 6G at the systems level. It is argued that Europe needs both ex ante and ex post actions to competitively develop and deploy future 6G technologies

Local 5G/6G network business in Europe: regulatory analysis and legitimacy considerations

Local 5G/6G mobile communication networks can be deployed by different stakeholders to serve a variety of user groups with different needs. The legal framework influencing local 5G/6G network deployments and operations, the EU Digital Legal Framework, has been recently developed and adopted by the EU, influencing network deployments, and impacting new stakeholders’ ability to become accepted and legitimate members of the mobile ecosystem. This chapter identifies and discusses relevant EU legal acts and presents the EU legal initiatives in the context of local mobile communication networks. It reviews previous research from the legitimacy challenge perspective and adds to a better understanding of how regulation currently delimits the emerging business models of the local 5G/6G networks. The chapter concludes by discussing the implications of the analysis for regulators and firms deploying local 5G/6G networks

Towards a 6G embedding sustainability

From its conception, 6G is being designed with a particular focus on sustainability. The general philosophy of the H2020 Hexa-X project work on sustainability in 6G is based on two principles: to reduce direct negative life cycle impacts of 6G systems as much as possible (Sustainable 6G) and to analyze use cases that maximize positive environmental, social, and economic effects in other sectors of society (6G for Sustainability or its enablement effect). To apply this philosophy, Hexa-X is designing 6G with three sustainability objectives in mind: to enable the reduction of emissions in 6G-powered sectors of society, to reduce the total cost of ownership and to improve energy efficiency. This paper describes these objectives, their associated KPIs and quantitative targets, and the levers to reach them. Furthermore, to maximize the positive effects of 6G through the enablement effect, a link between 6G and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) framework is proposed and illustrated by Hexa-X use case families.Comment: IEEE ICC 2023 Second International Workshop on Green and Sustainable Networking (GreenNet), May 2023, Rome, Ital

A 6G White Paper on Connectivity for Remote Areas

In many places all over the world rural and remote areas lack proper connectivity that has led to increasing digital divide. These areas might have low population density, low incomes, etc., making them less attractive places to invest and operate connectivity networks. 6G could be the first mobile radio generation truly aiming to close the digital divide. However, in order to do so, special requirements and challenges have to be considered since the beginning of the design process. The aim of this white paper is to discuss requirements and challenges and point out related, identified research topics that have to be solved in 6G. This white paper first provides a generic discussion, shows some facts and discusses targets set in international bodies related to rural and remote connectivity and digital divide. Then the paper digs into technical details, i.e., into a solutions space. Each technical section ends with a discussion and then highlights identified 6G challenges and research ideas as a list.Comment: A 6G white paper, 17 page

Research issues for sustainable wireless networks:a stakeholder approach

Abstract Sustainability and sustainable development are topics that are increasingly addressed in the ICT sector including wireless networks. Yet, their interpretations vary a great deal depending on the person without a commonly agreed approach. This paper presents an overview of sustainability and sustainable development in the context of ICTs and wireless networks highlighting the urgency of introducing sustainability principles at all levels and stages of ICT technology development. The paper presents a way forward to adopt sustainability principles into future technology design considering the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental sustainability perspectives. A change in mindset is urgently needed and all stakeholders need to act in their own capacity as well as collaboratively to make the wireless networks and their use truly sustainable without green-washing. New metrics need to be defined and measured to respond to growing concerns as today’s metrics, such as total consumed mobile data are far from sustainable. Time to act is now as the design criteria for the future sustainable 6G are defined in the next years

A new stakeholder paradigm to link 6G with sustainable development goals and spectrum management

Abstract This chapter addresses the role of sustainability and spectrum access in the context of the next generation of mobile communication networks after 5G — namely 6G. The radio spectrum continues to be the key resource for any wireless connectivity solution and presents a major control point to stakeholders. 5G spectrum decisions have already shown growing fragmentation, about not only spectrum bands but also spectrum management approaches covering administrative allocation, market mechanisms and the unlicensed commons. The global-scale deployment of 5G networks is ongoing. Spectrum regulators are in a key position to shape the future societies through their spectrum management decisions by allocating spectrum bands among different radio communication services and assigning access rights to different stakeholders. The role of spectrum continues to be important in the development of the next generation of mobile communication systems

Sustainability and spectrum management in the 6G era

Abstract The goal of sustainability and the required sustainable development to reach this goal call for a significant renewal of operations to solve fundamental challenges facing societies. The role of ICT and wireless communications is critical in realizing the twin transition of green and digital. The wireless and mobile communications community has taken sustainability as the key goal driving the whole R&D of the next generation of mobile communication networks (6G) aiming at deployment in 2030s. Understanding the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental sustainability together with the concrete United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) with specific targets and indicators are fundamental for 6G R&D but their linkages are not yet clear. This paper investigates sustainability and sustainable development in the context of 6G. A special focus is on the management of the fundamental natural resource for wireless communications, namely the radio spectrum whose management keeps getting ever more complex. The paper highlights the role of new sharing-based spectrum governance models, to rapidly respond to the needs of the changing world towards a sustainable future

Stakeholder analysis for the development of sharing-based spectrum governance models for mobile communications

Abstract Radio spectrum is a scarce natural resource whose efficient management has been the source of contentious debate for over a century. The mobile communication ecosystem has created a tremendous business that is reliant on the availability of spectrum for wireless networks. The growth of mobile communications has increased the rivalry between the different wireless ecosystems that compete over gaining access rights to radio spectrum. Due to the scarcity of unallocated spectrum bands without incumbent users, sharing-based governance models for spectrum management have gained increasing attention in regulation, industry and academia. Spectrum sharing allows two or more wireless systems to operate in the same spectrum band. These systems often come from different wireless ecosystems that have conflicting goals. Spectrum sharing, and specifically the development of new sharing-based governance models for more efficient management of the scarce resource, is a strategic management topic that calls for the development of rules and conditions by regulators that are agreeable to all involved stakeholders. This thesis presents a novel framework for the development of upcoming sharing-based spectrum governance models that bring together stakeholders from different wireless business ecosystems with conflicting goals. The framework is built upon the theoretical basis of governance models, stakeholder analysis, and business ecosystems. Spectrum management is here seen as governance of common pool resources, and the tool of stakeholder analysis from strategic management is formally introduced into the development of new sharing-based spectrum governance models where different business ecosystems collide. The developed three-step stakeholder analysis is applied to two case studies for mobile communications including the future use of the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band, and the licensed shared access (LSA) concept. For the UHF band case study, the thesis identifies the stakeholders, analyses their relations and saliences to reach long-term compromises between broadcasting and mobile communication ecosystems. For the LSA case study, the thesis identifies the stakeholders and their relations, and develops management actions through a work flow for the main phases and stakeholders’ tasks. It then presents the world’s first live field trial with mobile communication systems, where the conflicting requirements of all stakeholders were considered. The developed stakeholder analysis model formally introduces the strategic management of stakeholders into the spectrum management domain, and it provides regulators, industry and academia a new tool for reaching long-term compromises in spectrum management through sharing.Tiivistelmä Radiotaajuudet muodostavat rajallisen luonnonvaran, jonka tehokas hallinta on ollut vuosikymmenten ajan kiistanalainen keskustelunaihe. Matkaviestinnän ekosysteemi on luonut suurta liiketoimintaa saamalla käyttöönsä radiotaajuuksia, joilla matkaviestinverkot voivat toimia. Matkaviestinnän kasvu on lisännyt eri langattomien järjestelmien ekosysteemien välistä kilpailua radiotaajuuksien saatavuudesta. Taajuuksien yhteiskäyttöön perustuvat hallintamallit ovat herättäneet kasvavaa kiinnostusta taajuushallinnoissa, teollisuudessa ja tutkimusmaailmassa, koska lähes kaikki radiotaajuudet on jo annettu erilaisten langattomien järjestelmien käyttöön. Taajuuksien yhteiskäyttö mahdollistaa kahden tai useamman radiojärjestelmän toiminnan samalla taajuusalueella. Usein nämä järjestelmät edustavat erilaisia langattomia ekosysteemejä, joilla on ristiriitaiset tavoitteet. Taajuuksien yhteiskäyttö ja siihen liittyvien hallintamallien kehittäminen rajallisen luonnonvaran tehokkaamman käytön mahdollistamiseksi on strategisen johtamisen aihealue, joka edellyttää, että taajuushallinnot kehittävät säännöt ja ehdot, jotka ovat hyväksyttäviä sidosryhmille. Tämä väitöskirja esittelee uuden viitekehityksen taajuuksien yhteiskäyttöön perustuvien taajuuksien hallintamallien kehittämiselle tuomalla yhteen eri sidosryhmät, jotka edustavat erilaisia langattomia liiketoimintaekosysteemejä, joilla on ristiriitaiset tavoitteet. Kehitetyn viitekehyksen teoriapohja koostuu hallintomalleista, sidosryhmäanalyysistä sekä liiketoiminnan ekosysteemeistä. Tässä työssä taajuuksien hallinta nähdään yhteisresurssien (common pool resource, CPR) hallintana, ja strategisen johtamisen työkaluista sidosryhmäanalyysi on valittu taajuuksien yhteiskäyttömallien kehittämiseen erilaisten liiketoiminta-ekosysteemien kohtauspisteessä. Työssä kehitettyä kolmiaskelista sidosryhmäanalyysiä sovelletaan kahteen matkaviestinnän tapaustutkimukseen sisältäen UHF-taajuuden tulevaisuuden käytön sekä taajuuksien lisensioidun yhteiskäytön (licensed shared access, LSA). UHF-taajuuden tapaustutkimuksessa väitöskirjassa tunnistetaan sidosryhmät ja analysoidaan niiden riippuvuuksia ja painoarvoja pitkän tähtäimen kompromissin löytämiseksi yleisradioliikenteen ja matkaviestinnän ekosysteemien välille. LSA-tapaustutkimukselle väitöskirjassa tunnistetaan sidosryhmät ja niiden riippuvuudet sekä kehitetään johtamismalleja työnkulkukaavion avulla. Lisäksi työssä esitellään maailman ensimmäinen todellisella matkaviestinjärjestelmällä tehty kokeilu, joka ottaa huomioon eri sidosryhmien ristiriitaiset vaatimukset. Työssä kehitetty malli on ensimmäinen strategisen johtamisen sidosryhmäanalyysin sovellus taajuuksien hallintaan ja tuo taajuushallinnoille, teollisuudelle ja tutkimusmaailmalle uuden työkalun pitkän tähtäimen kompromissien löytämiseen taajuuksien hallinnalle yhteiskäytön avulla