Spectrum sharing for mobile networks: Trials, business aspects and regulation

Spectrum sharing for mobile networks: Trials, business aspects and regulation WAMS Seminar, 9.10.2013, Ylivieska, Finland Dr. Marja Matinmikko, CORE+ consortium coordinator VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

2 Outline Introduction CORE+ project Consortium Authorised Shared Access (ASA) Trials Cognitive technology Business aspects Regulation Summary

3 Introduction Mobile telecommunication traffic keeps growing significantly. While the increasing data traffic will be carried by more powerful mobile communication technology, e.g. LTE, the roll out of the new mobile networks will require new spectrum bands with wider carrier bandwidths to realize the full benefits. Cognitive radio system (CRS) technology with capabilities for obtaining knowledge, decision making & adjustment, and learning can help to: Optimise resource use within the network and across multiple networks. Allow mobile communication systems to share spectrum from other incumbent spectrum users. Report ITU-R M.2225. Introduction to cognitive radio systems in the land mobile service. 2011. http://www.itu.int/pub/r-rep-m.2225-2011

4 CORE+ PROJECT

5 CORE+ Consortium Research organisations: Industry: Public sector:

6 CORE+ Consortium CORE+ (Cognitive Radio Trial Environment +) project in 2013-2014 is continuation of CORE project in 2011-2012 and belongs to Finnish Trial program funded by Tekes. Three research organisations: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Centria and University of Oulu; Eight companies funding: Anite, Elektrobit, EXFO, Nokia Siemens Networks, PehuTec, PPO Yhtiöt/Elisa, Renesas Mobile Europe, and Rugged Tooling. Six parallel industry projects: Anite, Elektrobit, EXFO, Nokia Siemens Networks, PehuTec, and PPO Yhtiöt. Three public sector bodies: Finnish Defence Forces, Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA) and Tekes Project web page: http://core.willab.fi/

7 CORE+ Expected Results 1) Trial environments and live trials to showcase Authorised Shared Access (ASA) and Active Antenna System (AAS) concepts using real-life mobile communication networks. 2) Cognitive engines for network resource optimisation including ASA and AAS concepts. Cognitive engines will be implemented in the trial environment. 3) Deep understanding of the impact of spectrum sharing with CRS on the business ecosystem and business models in the mobile broadband business. 4) Deep understanding of the future spectrum demand, value of spectrum, stakeholder strategies, and technology maturity in the spectrum sharing regulation. Spectrum sharing becomes a part of the international spectrum regulatory framework.

8 CORE+ Focus: New Authorised Shared Access (ASA) Concept ASA concept allows a mobile network operator to share spectrum from another type of incumbent spectrum user when needed. It is complementary to traditional exclusive licensing and licenseexempt approaches allowing sharing with pre-determined rules and conditions and licensing agreements. It ensures controlled predictable quality of service (QoS) levels for both incumbent and the operator. ASA concept can provide a cost-efficient and harmonized way to utilize existing spectrum allocations and to achieve economies of scale by making IMT bands available worldwide with existing user equipment and minimum modifications to the infrastructure. ASA concept is currently under study in regulation and standardization in Europe in the 2.3-2.4 GHz band under the licensed shared access (LSA) regime of European Commission.

Policy data 14/10/2013 9 ASA Concept Permitted ASA spectrum: Where, When ASA Repository Available ASA spectrum Incumbent ASA license and sharing framework negotiation Regulator ASA license ASA Controller NW controls access to ASA spectrum Additional ASA spectrum available MNO ASA exclusion zone MNO BS NW controls access to licensed and ASA spectrum Multi-band device MNO BS Incumbent NW controls access to licensed spectrum

Licensed ASA Unlicensed Licensed 900 MHz ASA in Finland 1800 MHz 2.1 GHz 2.3 GHz 2.4 GHz 2.6 GHz Dynamic exclusion zones: TV crew. Oulu Ylivieska. MNO BS MNO BS. Tampere. Jyväskylä Incumbent. Turku. Helsinki Static exclusion zones: Key TV studios and theaters

11 1) Trial Results: World s First Live ASA Trial CORE+ consortium made the world s first live ASA trial using LTE network in Ylivieska on 25th of April 2013 and communicated it to outside world: Press release: http://www.vtt.fi/news/2013/25042013_asa.jsp M. Matinmikko, M. Palola, H. Saarnisaari, M. Heikkilä, J. Prokkola, T. Kippola, T. Hänninen, M. Jokinen, and S. Yrjölä, Cognitive radio trial environment: First live authorized shared access-based spectrum-sharing demonstration, IEEE Vehicular Technology Mag., Sept. 2013.

12 1) Trial Results: World s First Live ASA Trial CORE+ and WISE 2 consortia made an enhanced live ASA trial using LTE network in Ylivieska on 3rd of September 2013 Real incumbent data used in ASA Repository. Real network management tool and core network in use. ASA Controller manages TD-LTE base stations via the network management tool according to ASA band information. ASA Controller evacuates ASA band on demand and commands users to other networks. https://tapahtumat.tekes.fi/event/triallsaworkshop

13 Finnish ASA Trial Flow Incumbent (e.g.digita) Incumbent uses the band for providing PMSE services according to license agreement. Incumbent releases ASA band. Regulator (FICORA) ASA Preparation and Licensing Development of the sharing framework. ASA Deployment ASA Band Evacuation Request ASA Band Available ASA License MNO (e.g. Elisa) TD-LTE network is deployed in 2.3 GHz ASA band and users are moved to ASA band. Users are moved from ASA band to WiFi. ASA band is evacuated and BS stops transmission in ASA band. Incumbent gets the band back. ASA License Termination ASA band is released.

14 Finnish ASA Trial Setup ASA Repository ASA Controller Incumbent (e.g. Digita) Database at Fairspectrum in Helsinki and TUAS in Turku Intelligent logic at VTT in Oulu PMSE service provider in Ylivieska WiFi campus network at Centria in Ylivieska MNO (Elisa) NSN Flexi Multradio TD LTE BS in Ylivieska Network Management System OAM, NSN NetAct OSS in Tampere/Espoo NSN Evolved Packet Core Network in Oulu

15 2) Cognitive Engine Research CORE+ covers both cognitive decision making and ASA concept. Decision making for loadbalancing and traffic steering. QoS based handover decisions between cellular networks and WiFi covering licensed, license-exempt and shared ASA bands. ASA architecture development Development of intelligent logic for ASA Controller to configure MNO s network according to spectrum availability information.

16 3) Business Ecosystem and Business Models Use cases for ASA trials Models for valuation of spectrum Business benefits of ASA concept for key stakeholders: incumbent spectrum user, MNO (dominant and challenger), and regulator Publication: P. Ahokangas, M. Matinmikko, S. Yrjölä, H. Okkonen, and T. Casey, Simple rules for mobile network operators strategic choices in future cognitive spectrum sharing networks, IEEE Wireless Communications, vol. 20, pp. 20 26, April 2013.

17 4) Spectrum regulation Work flow and tasks of stakeholders in spectrum sharing with ASA developed Contributions to CEPT FM53 on regulatory framework for Licensed Shared Access (LSA) Contributions to ITU-R WP5A on Cognitive Radio Systems (CRSs) in the land mobile service Chairmanship of CRS sub-working group since May 2012

18 Summary CORE+ project covers both cognitive decision making and ASA concept development for mobile communication networks with a special focus on trialing activities. World s first live ASA trial using LTE network in Ylivieska was presented in April 2013. Enhanced live ASA trial was shown in September 2013. CORE+ also covers the business side of ASA. Business benefits for key stakeholders identified. CORE+ promotes spectrum sharing into regulation. Results are communicated to relevant spectrum regulatory groups.

19 More information: http://core.willab.fi/ Marja.Matinmikko@vtt.fi