On the Role of Infrastructure sharing for Mobile Network Operators in Emerging Markets

摘要

The traditional model of single ownership of all the physical networkelements and network layers by mobile network operators is beginning to bechallenged. This has been attributed to the rapid and complex technologymigration compounded with rigorous regulatory requirements and ever increasingcapital expenditures. These trends, combined together with the increasingcompetition, rapid commoditization of telecommunication equipments and risingseparation of network and service provisioning are pushing the operators toadopt multiple strategies, with network infrastructure sharing in the core andradio access networks emerging as a more radical mechanism to substantially andsustainably improve network costs. Through infrastructure sharing, developingcountries and other emerging economies can harness the technological, marketand regulatory developments that have fostered affordable access to mobile andbroadband services. Similarly, the network operators entering or consolidatingin the emerging markets can aim for substantial savings on capital andoperating expenses. The present paper aims to investigate the currenttechnological solutions and regulatory and the technical-economical dimensionsin connection with the sharing of mobile telecommunication networks in emergingcountries. We analyze the estimated savings on capital and operating expenses,while assessing the technical constraints, applicability and benefits of thenetwork sharing solutions in an emerging market context.