Use cases, spectrum requirements and valuation of spectrum for private LTE

These reports examine use cases, spectrum requirements and valuation of spectrum for use by private LTE.

The first report defines private LTE, considers environments where private LTE might be used focusing on industrial automation and identifies what spectrum these applications will need. To do this it sets out a methodology to characterise the identified private LTE environments and then matches options for spectrum bands against the output of the characterisation. The final part of the report considers mechanisms for access to spectrum for private LTE and reviews the status of these across a number of case study countries. Industrial automation is likely to become a significant user of spectrum in future and barriers to access to suitable spectrum could hold back its development. The report makes recommendations for policy makers to include private LTE in future mobile spectrum demand and ensure that suitable mechanisms are available for operators of these systems to gain access to spectrum.

The second report develops the access mechanisms discussion and focuses on how spectrum for private LTE would be valued. The key to this is the nature of private LTE operators and their use of spectrum as an input to enterprise activity (rather than a mobile network operator, whose business is primarily about spectrum and mobile access). Spectrum valuing methodologies and their applicability to private LTE are reviewed in the context of the conditions to create a market for spectrum for private LTE, including consideration of opportunity cost for spectrum for both a mobile operator (potential supplier of spectrum for private LTE) and the same for a private LTE operator. The report also raises other regulatory issues that could impact private LTE operators such as the need for systems or services licensing.