Advanced Wireless Networks, 3rd Edition

24Dynamic Wireless Network Infrastructure

The network infrastructure require significant investments and for this reason a certain amount of attention has been attracted by the latest work on new paradigms in this field. In general these paradigms are providing solutions where the network infrastructure of a particular operator can be temporally expanded or compressed without need for additional investment. We discuss in this chapter two options for this solution: (i) network infrastructure sharing (IS) and (ii) user provided connectivity. An equivalent paradigm in a fixed network (Internet) is discussed within the umbrella of network virtualization. Since the focus of this book is on wireless networks the problem of network virtualization will be omitted here.

24.1 Infrastructure Sharing in Multi-Operator Cellular Networks

The concept of infrastructure sharing (IS) among multiple network operators (MNO) is similar to the concept of spectra sharing. This time the underutilized infrastructure, instead of spectrum, is temporally leased to an another operator who might need to expand its infrastructure due to a temporally higher density of the traffic. The coexistence of multiple MNOs in the same geographical area, due to legal regulations that obligate them to install their antennas on the same buildings, has motivated a new business model, known as IS [1, 2]. This new paradigm embraces a set of strategies that enable the MNOs to use their resources jointly to reach their common ...