Abstract
Spectrum sharing between an existing incumbent spectrum
user and an LTE/LTEAdvanced network with conditions that
resemble exclusive licensing have become an appealing
solution for mobile network operators to respond to the
growing traffic and spectrum demand in a timely manner.
While traditional exclusive licensing continues to be the
preferred option for MNOs, the new sharing-based licensed
shared access (LSA) concept is receiving growing interest
in research, regulation and standardization. When applied
to mobile communications, the LSA concept would allow an
MNO to share spectrum from another type of incumbent
spectrum user under a regulator's supervision with
predetermined rules and conditions that guarantee
operational certainty for both MNO and incumbent. This
article reviews different types of spectrum bands for
LTE/LTE-Advanced and beyond networks, and focuses on the
LSA concept as a spectrally efficient solution for
spectrum access in the future. The article identifies the
key stakeholders, including the incumbent spectrum user,
the MNO, and the regulator, and their roles in the LSA
concept. The key elements in the LSA concept are
reviewed, and a work flow for the life cycle of the LSA
concept is proposed, consisting of LSA preparation,
licensing, deployment, and release phases. The tasks of
the key stakeholders in the different phases of the LSA
work flow are discussed. The LSA concept can offer a
complementary approach to traditional exclusive licensing
and license-exempt operations with features that benefit
all involved stakeholders. It can be realized with
reasonable modifications to the existing network
infrastructure and regulatory framework with two new
elements for managing the varying spectrum availability:
the LSA Repository and LSA Controller
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 72-79 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | IEEE Wireless Communications |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |