Spectrum Sharing and Operator Model for Rural and Remote Area Networks

Connectivity in remote and rural areas is a challenge which is not sufficiently tackled by the on-going development of 5G networks. Alternative operator models that promote the establishment of locally deployed networks to serve the under-served are important to complement the mobile network operator (MNO) driven connectivity market to serve the underserved. This paper describes the connectivity challenges that remote and rural areas face and proposes a generic spectrum sharing model that allows local deployment of 5G networks with new local operator models. The proposed approach consists of different levels of spectrum access rights that are realized with on combined use of a geolocation database to protect the incumbent spectrum users and spectrum sensing to facilitate sharing between the local 5G networks. The propose approach allows different stakeholders to become local rural and remote area operators by gaining access to the spectrum locally through shared access to the spectrum.