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Why different carriers adopt different spectrum acquisition strategies

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Abstract

This paper provides a theory to account for why different mobile wireless carriers adopt different spectrum acquisition strategies and empirically validates it. In the mobile wireless industry, the key industry and business drivers are the investments made by network operators. Of these cost drivers, the most influential on the industry’s dynamics are the capital investments, which include spectrum acquisition investments. This article presents concepts and viewpoints to understand the strategies adopted by carriers when acquiring mobile wireless spectrum. The concepts and viewpoints have been developed based on extensive studies of acquisition behaviors amongst carriers during the wireless spectrum distributions held in various parts of the world, and the spectrum acquisition strategies pursued by carriers over the past 10 years. The resulting framework is presented as a theoretical contribution to the literature building on contemporary notions of theory-building and presentation.

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Notes

  1. Next-generation businesses utilize next-generation technologies. First Generation (1G) networks are analog cellular systems; Second Generation (2G) networks are digital cellular; Next-generation technologies include 2.5G and Third Generation (3G) systems, which are digital systems and operate at higher speeds. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Personal Digital Cellular (PDC), and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System’s (UMTS’) Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) are wireless digital cellular technologies.

    cdmaOne, GSM, PDC, TDMA are 2G, GPRS and CDMA2000 1X and its Release A are 2.5G, and UMTS’ WCDMA, Time Division-Synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA) and CDMA2000 are 3G technologies, which use larger ‘pipes’ (higher spectrum bandwidth). CDMA2000 includes 1XRTT (now renamed as 1X) and 1xEV-DO (Enhanced Voice -Data Optimized) Revisions A, B, and C (known as Ultra Mobile Broadband, or UMB). Working with industry organizations worldwide, the universally recognized International Telecommunication Union (ITU) implemented the International Mobile Telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) program to develop standards for 3G. In late 1999, the ITU approved five IMT-2000 terrestrial radio interfaces: CDMA-Multi-Carrier (CDMA2000 1X and 3X), CDMA-Direct Spread (WCDMA), CDMA-Time Division Duplex (UTRA-TDD and TDSCDMA), TDMA-Single Carrier (UWC-136/EDGE) and FDMA/TDMA (DECT). The first three are 3G CDMA interfaces. These technological migrations and systems are described in earlier papers [100–102, 108].

  2. This original work on the industry’s economics was adopted by a US$ 20 billion global telecommunications equipment manufacturer to transform and grow a profitable next-generation US$ 6 billion mobile wireless business unit during the 2001–2002 recession. This rigorous work directed and aligned the division’s product growth initiatives with next-generation emerging business needs of network operators. Consequently, the division grew at a 5% rate and was the company’s only profitable division after six quarters of losses during the 2001–2002 recession. This rigorous work also helped a US$ 6 billion wireless business unit at the manufacturer develop the spectrum policies it would support at telecommunications associations and conferences, seminars and press releases. It also helped the business unit lobby with national governments to bring desirable changes in the spectrum distribution and regulation process. Further, this rigorous work helped the business unit grow a next-generation wireless technology that would generate US$ 100 million in revenues during the period 2002–2005.

  3. The networks are positioned to meet the expected level of communications traffic demand while offering the expected quality of service. Each wireless cell is allocated a certain number of frequency carriers, which fall in a frequency band bought by a wireless service provider from the government in the country. Each of these frequency carriers is a transmitted frequency that can be varied (modulated) to carry analog or digital signal information, and is sub-divided into a certain number of channels. Each channel can support a single voice call at any one time. The capacity of a network infrastructure equipment refers to the number of channels that the equipment supports.

  4. Ronald Coase developed a theory that broadcast licences in a limited spectrum had high economic value, which could and should be paid for on the open market.

  5. Cingular Wireless was the second largest wireless carrier in the United States until it acquired the erstwhile AT&T Wireless. Cingular is a joint venture between Southwestern Bell Communications (60%) and BellSouth (40%). Cingular Wireless awarded contracts for worth US$ 3–4 billion to Ericsson, Nokia and Siemens to upgrade its TDMA network to GSM.

  6. Verizon Wireless is the second-largest wireless carrier in the United States. Verizon Wireless spent US$ 900 million in 2002 to upgrade and improve networks in 15 US’ mid-Western states.

  7. BPL operates mobile networks in Bombay and the states of Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu through two operating companies? BPL Cellular and BPL Mobile Communications Limited. France Telecom holds a 26% stake in Bangalore-based BPL Mobile Communications while MediaOne, a US company acquired by AT&T in 2000, holds a 49% stake in BPL Cellular. IDEA Cellular was a joint venture between AT&T, which sold its stake in 2005, and two of India’s biggest conglomerates, the Tata and Birla groups. It runs mobile networks in four Indian states? Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. BPL Communications will own 49.32% of the new entity. AT&T and the Birla and Tata groups will each hold 16.9% stakes. The merger is expected to lead to significant cost reductions.

  8. The erstwhile AT&T Wireless was the third largest wireless carrier in the US until it was acquired by Cingular Wireless. AT&T Wireless spent US$ 2.5 billion on technology upgrade to GPRS. It also expects to spend a few hundred million more US dollars on its next step to 3G called EDGE and another US$ 1 billion on its final upgrade to 3G.

  9. This was to end a protracted battle over 1,900 MHz spectrum. Investors in bankrupt NextWave would end up with US$ 5 billion after paying off debts and taxes, and the federal government of the US would be paid US$ 11 billion. Under the reported deal, the big wireless telephone companies would divide up the spectrum that NextWave won in a 1996 auction conducted by the US telecommunications industry regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), but never paid for. However, the deal has been called off due to Supreme Court rulings against the FCC directives.

  10. In 2005, NextWave abandoned its plan to build and operate a network though and sold the rest of the licenses to Verizon Wireless.

  11. The erstwhile Sprint PCS was the United States’ fourth-largest wireless carrier until it acquired Nextel Communications to become the third-largest carrier.

  12. Owned by Spain’s Telefonica Móviles and Finland’s Sonera and formerly known as Group 3G, the partnership has been dissolved by its parent companies in mid-2002.

  13. OO2 was formerly known as BT Cellnet, it is the wireless business of mmO2 in the UK. The agreement means that subscribers to Hutchison 3G UKs UMTS network will be able to roam onto OO2’s 2G network when Hutchison launches service in the second half of 2002. The deal also includes roaming access to OO2’s GPRS network. Their customers are now assured of services such as nationwide voice, Short Message Service (SMS) and other data services, on top of the 3G capability. (SMS is a wireless data messaging service that is generally limited to 160 characters and is available in one-way form to the device from most digital cellular operators.) Under the terms of the UK 3G licenses, existing operators such as mmO2 and Vodafone are required to allow the new 3G operator to roam onto their network.

  14. It acquired eight licenses from the auction held in July 2001 and one through the acquisition of Spice Cell.

  15. China Mobile estimates that US$ 7.3 billion will be spent on deploying a 3G network in the region. Its rivals, China Telecom and China Netcom, will have to pay double this amount due to their lack of 2G network infrastructures.

  16. Many definitions of MVNOs are stricter and rely on ownership of certain network elements, but a service-orientated definition encompasses the MVNO business case more fully and focuses on the commercial rather than the technical relationship the MVNO has with the host operator.

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Acknowledgements

The idea to write this research article germinated from an insightful discussion with Bruce A. Gustafson at Nortel Networks, USA. The author thanks Professor Ron Arthur Gerard Weber, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology, Administration at Monash University, Australia, for his constructive comments. The author is grateful to the editors and review committee for helping further develop, and clearly explain the framework presented in this research paper.

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    Hemant K. Sabat

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Sabat, H.K. Why different carriers adopt different spectrum acquisition strategies. Inf Technol Manage 9, 251–284 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10799-007-0030-x

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