Written by Juan Pedro Tomás for RCR Wireless News
RCR Live panelists discussed how high spectrum demand and lack of base station deployment sites signals a need for more sharing among European telcos
During an RCR Live Telco Reinvention panel, European regulators highlighted the importance of the concept of “sharing” when it comes to the efficient use of spectrum by the different players in the telecom sector. At the same time, they expressed concerns related to the lack of sufficient base station deployment sites.
Cristina Data, director of spectrum policy and analysis at Ofcom, said that the U.K. regulator is seeing a conflict emerging around the demand for spectrum and explained that the concept of spectrum and infrastructure sharing will be key to deal with this growing challenge. “We need to try and make the best and most efficient use of this resource,” she said, adding that as a result, sharing is becoming “critical” and an almost “by-default approach” to spectrum management.
She added that coexistence studies and a better understanding of real-world measurement will be essential to achieve this goal. “Obviously, technology has a big role to play here, we are seeing development in AI that could give us a better understanding of how spectrum is being used. But we also need a wider ecosystem. So clearly harmonization is still critical for all of us.”
