Wireless spectrum sharing needs more research and testing in real world, says report

Wireless spectrum sharing is catching attention as the government says it is an option of choice. The regulators, chiefly the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are getting involved in getting the proposition to an acceptable end.

In a recent statement the Obama administration has approved of the spectrum sharing proposal and has given a go-ahead to government-backed research and development firms to authenticate practicality of the option.

A recent report from research firm Deloitte says that the spectrum sharing is possible but only after it has been tested in the real-world. The report moreover, stated that sharing spectrum is quite a sensitive matter for wireless carriers. It has the potential of compromising on the quality of the signals.

“Policymakers should consider expanding government funded or supported R&D efforts to promote the emergence of workable sharing solutions,” said Deloitte.

“Carriers compete mostly based on network quality, and spectrum sharing affects network performance. Introducing spectrum sharing is inherently a sensitive proposition for carriers concerned about differentiation and competitive advantage.

“Until rules are defined and technology performance is tested in a real-world environment, carriers and end users will be unable to benefit from spectrum sharing.”

The issue of sharing of spectrum has caught root of late because of shortage of broadband signals. Only Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications and Vodafone, has the widest spread 4G LTE network in the US. It gives them the competitive advantage in selling contract-based 4G smartphones in the country.

The sharing will certainly help the likes of Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, who have comparatively smaller networks in the US but the signal quality will be an issue. Although none of the carriers has any objection in sharing spectrum, they prefer to have exclusive rights to the use of airwaves.

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Posted by Usman Khalid on Sep 28 2012. Filed under Sci-Tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.