A number of recent regulatory and market changes have opened up several possible options for third parties to gain access to useful cellular spectrum. These include leasing from cellular operators, sharing in a controlled environment or best effort unlicensed operation. We review possible options and consider the consequences.
Spectrum for mobile operators has always been a scarce commodity, with auctions raising hundreds of billions for governments. It’s effectively an indirect tax, paid for by higher cellular service fees. While network operators may complain about high costs, a side-effect is that it makes it much more expensive and difficult for new entrants to compete.
