TPRC 2024: The 52nd Research Conference on Communications, Information and Inter

Link to paper

Abstract:
Seeking to accelerate digitalisation of enterprises, some regulators have started relying on radio spectrum set asides for enterprises. Set-asides reserve radio bandwidth for potential use by enterprises in specific locations. This study empirically examines the impact of spectrum set-asides on enterprise digitalisation and public network quality. We find no evidence that set-asides have accelerated adoption of private networks or more broadly defined digitalisation of enterprises. However, use of radio spectrum set-asides presents a trade off, as it diminishes spectrum availability for public networks, potentially affecting download speeds and overall service quality. We find that 100 MHz of additional spectrum nationally was linked to 4.5 Mbps greater download speeds (or 24% increase). These findings underscore the need for cautious policy approaches and consideration of alternative spectrum access frameworks.