Mobile
Infrastructure
What is infrastructure
sharing?
Infrastructure
sharing can have a number of variants, but has as its ultimate objective
the reduction of costs associated with setting up a 3G mobile radio
network by sharing such facilities between one or more mobile operators.
In its simplest form it is the sharing of space on masts and in
associated buildings/sites (sometimes referred to as "mast
sharing"). In this form there are still two physically separate
networks.
Another variant
might be a form of geographic division of the UK market. One example
might be for operator A to cover Manchester, and operator B to cover
Leeds, on the understanding that network A will allow B's users
onto its Manchester network. Similarly operator B would allow A's
customers onto its network in Leeds. Another example might be for
operators to carve up rural areas, while rolling out separate networks
in core areas. These variants would amount to a form of "national
roaming" (and in effect is an agreement to divide up the UK
market between two or more operators).
The most involved
and complex form of infrastructure sharing would be for two separate
3G licensees to share more and more of the elements that make up
such a network. At one extreme this would be equivalent to mast
sharing, at the other a single network would be run by a separate
entity on behalf of two or more WT Act Licensees. Thus the model
becomes a single network company "netco" with the licensees
becoming service companies "servcos".
In May 2001
Oftel published a note for information en-titled "3G
Mobile Infrastructure Sharing in the UK". This document
gives an overview of the issues that would arise from operators
sharing infrastructure as Third Generation (3G) mobile networks
are rolled out in the UK. The issues are those related to the licensing
regime, spectrum use and competition.
Mobile
Spectrum
The Radiocommunications
Agency (RA) is responsible for the allocation of radio spectrum
in the UK. Oftel advises on any regulatory issues associated
with radio spectrum.
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