Dynamic Spectrum Access may offer mobile operators and regulators relief from a looming bandwidth squeeze.
IMT-2000 now includes WiMAX as well as traditional 2G and 3G mobile technologies. These will be joined by evolved variants of EDGE, UMTS, CDMA2000, and HSPA in the next few years, culminating in the deployment of all-IP “4G” mobile networks beginning in 2010. Meanwhile the Digital Dividend is set to free up spectrum in the 700 MHz bands for new applications including homeland security, mobile Internet, mobile TV, and terrestrial HDTV. The market will be allowed to decide in competitive auctions how to make best use of the spectrum, which will not be able to support all these new technologies and services unless a different approach is taken.
“Spectrum, especially in the UHF band, is attractive to mobile operators for SIP services as they move to all-IP networks,” says ABI Research analyst Ian Cox. “It is also used by terrestrial TV broadcasters, the military, and security services, and they all want a substantial share of it. Regulators can now begin to change their approach, as software radio emerges and spectrum sharing becomes feasible.”
The main benefit of Dynamic Spectrum Access will be to improve spectrum utilization, which today is at best less than 17% in urban areas and 5% elsewhere. From spectrum sharing also flows the additional benefit that spectrum becomes cheaper to use, which will stimulate the development of new services and applications that would otherwise be uneconomical. Applications include sharing UHF spectrum between terrestrial TV and mobile networks, and allowing UHF spectrum to be used by other technologies including 3G, WiMAX and “4G” services and networks. All these wireless technologies could eventually come under a management regime that replaces fixed allocation of radio spectrum with real-time traded spectrum.
Software Radio, Software Defined Radio and Cognitive Radio are enablers for DSA. Alternative approaches using other technologies could also emerge. What is clear is that fundamental changes must be made to how spectrum is allocated and used, if regulators are to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
“Software Radio and Dynamic Spectrum Access” reviews the world market for DSA. It includes forecasts for the market potential to 2014, including Base Transceiver Station (BTS) installations, and BTS capital expenditure. It forms part of two subscription Research Services, Wireless Infrastructure, and Mobile Broadband.
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