Mobile and fixed broadband network deployment presents several challenges. The fast deployment of high-quality network infrastructure is capital intensive and requires huge investments. Infrastructure sharing is a significant policy, supporting telecommunications service providers in tackling network infrastructure deployment challenges; such as accounting for CAPEX and OPEX requirements together with potentially unfavorable business environments, while still achieving rapid deployment and quality service delivery. Different frameworks and models of infrastructure sharing exist, including open-access wholesale-only network infrastructure operators. Aside from network deployment and operation costs reduction, infrastructure sharing provides a number of additional benefits, including network availability, reliability, innovation, expansion, customer satisfaction, environmental protection, and economic sustainability. Infrastructure sharing may also affect both the competition and the consumers. Detailed analysis and evaluation of the potential impacts of infrastructure sharing is therefore a highly relevant and very interesting topic.
Infrastructure sharing is a key policy tool for the reduction of deployment and operational costs in mobile and fixed broadband networks, thus enabling faster broadband network deployment. The objective of this Research Topic is to examine different infrastructure sharing strategies and policies, which have been applied in real-world cases, and to explore their impact. Cases of open-access infrastructure/wholesale-only operators will also be considered. An emphasis should be placed on the analysis of the impacts of infrastructure sharing on various different factors, including but not limited to network availability, reliability, innovation, expansion, customer satisfaction, environmental protection, and economic sustainability. Of particular interest is the exploration of the impact of infrastructure sharing on market competition and on the consumers.
The scope of this Research Topic is threefold, encompassing: (a) discussion of regulatory and policy approaches; (b) current trends such as tower companies and fiber companies, and; (c) impact analysis of infrastructure sharing. Both regular and short papers are welcomed, offering contributions on the following topics:
- Regulatory frameworks and approaches for infrastructure sharing
- Infrastructure sharing cases, and analysis of the results
- Mobile network passive infrastructure wholesale and open access providers – tower companies
- Fiber infrastructure wholesale and open access providers – fiber companies
- 5G to FTTH convergence – fiber infrastructure between 5G and FTTH networks
- Technical implications of infrastructure sharing
- Benefits of infrastructure sharing (including network availability, reliability, innovation, expansion, customer satisfaction, environmental protection, and economic sustainability)
- The impact of infrastructure sharing on competition
- Analysis of the impact of infrastructure sharing on consumers
Mobile and fixed broadband network deployment presents several challenges. The fast deployment of high-quality network infrastructure is capital intensive and requires huge investments. Infrastructure sharing is a significant policy, supporting telecommunications service providers in tackling network infrastructure deployment challenges; such as accounting for CAPEX and OPEX requirements together with potentially unfavorable business environments, while still achieving rapid deployment and quality service delivery. Different frameworks and models of infrastructure sharing exist, including open-access wholesale-only network infrastructure operators. Aside from network deployment and operation costs reduction, infrastructure sharing provides a number of additional benefits, including network availability, reliability, innovation, expansion, customer satisfaction, environmental protection, and economic sustainability. Infrastructure sharing may also affect both the competition and the consumers. Detailed analysis and evaluation of the potential impacts of infrastructure sharing is therefore a highly relevant and very interesting topic.
Infrastructure sharing is a key policy tool for the reduction of deployment and operational costs in mobile and fixed broadband networks, thus enabling faster broadband network deployment. The objective of this Research Topic is to examine different infrastructure sharing strategies and policies, which have been applied in real-world cases, and to explore their impact. Cases of open-access infrastructure/wholesale-only operators will also be considered. An emphasis should be placed on the analysis of the impacts of infrastructure sharing on various different factors, including but not limited to network availability, reliability, innovation, expansion, customer satisfaction, environmental protection, and economic sustainability. Of particular interest is the exploration of the impact of infrastructure sharing on market competition and on the consumers.
The scope of this Research Topic is threefold, encompassing: (a) discussion of regulatory and policy approaches; (b) current trends such as tower companies and fiber companies, and; (c) impact analysis of infrastructure sharing. Both regular and short papers are welcomed, offering contributions on the following topics:
- Regulatory frameworks and approaches for infrastructure sharing
- Infrastructure sharing cases, and analysis of the results
- Mobile network passive infrastructure wholesale and open access providers – tower companies
- Fiber infrastructure wholesale and open access providers – fiber companies
- 5G to FTTH convergence – fiber infrastructure between 5G and FTTH networks
- Technical implications of infrastructure sharing
- Benefits of infrastructure sharing (including network availability, reliability, innovation, expansion, customer satisfaction, environmental protection, and economic sustainability)
- The impact of infrastructure sharing on competition
- Analysis of the impact of infrastructure sharing on consumers