Dynamic Spectrum Management in 5G: Lessons from Technological Breakthroughs in Unlicensed Bands Use

This paper discusses a number of issues associated with the increasing need to improve the utilization of unlicensed spectrum as a number of new technological advances provide an opportunity to share scarce resources in a dynamic fashion in the future 5G networks. The growth in connected devices via cellular and Wi-Fi networks is being complemented with a significant increase in networked “things” and this proliferation of devices presents a challenge to Spectrum Authorities. We propose that the ultimate purpose of Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) is to improve spectrum usage efficiency by fully exploiting spectrum sharing while assuring minimum undesired interference. Our aim is the identification of economic issues that impact the development of efficient markets for 5G networks that rely on dynamic spectrum technologies in the unlicensed spectrum. The paper covers how technological breakthroughs in spectrum access technologies challenge our current understanding of spectrum management. In each case, the contribution of the paper includes policy proposals or more focused regulatory instruments while the concluding section sums up the paper’s key message about the interplay between technology and policy that helps lay out elements that regulators and policy-makers need to attend to when adopting practices that implement Dynamic Spectrum Management in the unlicensed spectrum.