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4. El delito descubierto versus el delito probado en el proceso inmediato
The asset analysis makes use of terminology that is explained in the follow- ing section. For each actor a table is created, with the first row containing the general assets and the following rows, scenario specific assets. In this way comparisons and conclusions can be made as to what scenarios will be further investigated. In the tables, symbol Xmeans that the actor can assume the role personally or possess the asset and with that the actor needs to co-operate in order to assume the role or gain an asset.
4.2.1.1 Terminology
Private spectrum: The ability to use solely a licensed spectrum for RF trans- mission.
Free spectrum: Any unlicensed or white space spectrum that can be used on the fly for RF transmission.
Radio access network operation: The provision and ownership of the required technology in order to provide to customers the ability to access via a radio frequency the network.
Core Network operation: The operation and maintenance of the core network. Backhaul provision: The provision and ownership of the established connection between radio access network and core network.
Site Operation: The ownership and operation of a premise or building where the owner has full control.
Customer Acquisition: The ability to attract and provide MBA services to new customers.
Access Provisioning: The ability to check what services a requesting UE can have access to.
ID & Trust Provisioning: The ability to check and allow access to a UE. Charging & Billing: The ability charge and collect money for the offered ser- vices to a customer.
Macro base stations operation: Installation, operation and ownership of MBS Wide area coverage: The ability to provide MBA services in multiple locations over a city or country1.
1Based on the findings of the QUASAR project, wide area coverage is most likely to be possible in rural areas mostly.
4.1. Preliminary asset analysis 33 Registered customers: Customers details are enlisted in a database and have a long term contract is issued with the provider.
Unregistered customers: Customers that pay for MBA services one-time only. Core business attraction: The ability to attract high volumes of potential cus- tomers daily in a specific location or premise.
Market push: The ability to promote via marketing techniques and customer database a new service in the market.
Facility wiring: The installation and deployment of a Local area network in a facility.
4.2.1.2 Mobile network operator
Mobile network operator is large scale cell phone carrier that owns the equipment and infrastructure for radio access network and offers mobile phone services in licensed bands. An MNO is an actor that can assume all roles by making use of a vertically integrated value chain when the deployment is with MBS and all roles besides site operation when the deployment is based on FBS. MNOs are key actors of the market mostly due to the infrastructure and customer database they have. It is common for MNOs to allow access to users of other operators as roaming and even partner up for the construction of the radio access network. There is motivation behind the MNO to use FBS and TVWS as this will allow for more licensed spectrum usage for outdoor coverage, ensure high quality indoor reception and thus reduce the customer churn, increase customer royalty and delivery of bandle services.
Asset / Actor MNO MNO with MNO with in General Licensed TV-white space Pricate spectrum X
Free Spectrum X X RAN Operation X X X Core Network Operation X X X Backhaul Provision X X X Site Operation
Customer Acquisition X X X Access Provisioning X X X Id & Trust Provisioning X X X Charging and Billing X X X MBS Operation X X Wide Area Coverage X X Registered Customers X X X Unregistered Customers
Core Business Attraction
Market Push X X X Facility Wiring
Table 4.1: Asset analysis for mobile network operator
From Table 4.1, it can be easily concluded that the MNO is a complete entity that can operate without the need of any other actor in the value constellation.
34 Chapter 4. Business Feasibility Analysis An MNO has the power to use a private spectrum by operating and maintaining all the network components that are required for a complete network operation: The RAN, the backbone connection, Authentication, Authorization & Account- ing services, macro base stations for the RF transmission that provide wide area coverage and the core network operation.
Additionally, the MNO has marketing tools that attract new customers im- proving at the same time the market push of new products and services. How- ever, the only association and partnership an MNO needs is an agreement with a facility owner for the installation and operation of the MBS, as in general, MBS are installed on top of high buildings in rural environments, where the free space for MBS is scarce. When comparing the unlicensed spectrum with the TV-White Space, it is observed that the MNO in the first case lucks of the ability to use the MBS and loses the wide area coverage. That is because an MNO is not allowed to consume the entire available unlicensed spectrum and block the usage of it from nearby users. In the TV-White space scenario thought; this is avoided by the use of cognitive radio techniques that will not consume all the available RF and allow competing users for RF usage. Thus the scenario of MNO using Unlicensed space will not be further investigated in this thesis, while the usage of TV-white space will forward on round two analysis for business model construction.
4.2.1.3 Facility Owner
Facility owners are big building and infrastructure owners that attract high volume of customers due to the core business, i.e. hotel and in addition try to increase the user satisfaction by providing internet access either complimentary or for a fee. Facility owners on one hand they have a large interest to provide broadband connection to the customers, but on the other little or no interest is observed for MBA provision in their buildings [31]. Hot spots like cafeterias, shopping malls and trains are example of places where the facility owner can assume a multitude of roles for MBA service to the customers. At first the facility owner can implement its own personal infrastructure, not only cover all the expenses in its own but also keep all the revenues as well. Secondly, the facility owner can lease the premises to a MNO or a Wi-Fi operator and let them handle all the expenses and revenues. Finally, a facility owner can use a middle ground agreement where the expenses and revenues are partially shared with a Wi-Fi operator or an MNO.
In the first column of table 4.2, only the pure assets of a facility owner are selected, the ones that require no further expenses or cooperation with a third party to be achieved. A facility owners greater asset is the facility itself, as it makes customer acquisition easier with the core business attraction. In this way the Facility owner can gain some market push but less than the one a MNO possess. From table 4.2, it is observed that the facility owner has the choice of using a licensed spectrum after an agreement and partnership with a mobile network operator, in which case the MNO will install and operate the RAN, make backhaul provision, enable AAA services, arrange roaming agreements for third party mobile users and use technician experts for the facility wiring. The main benefit of this scenario is the cost effective deployment of the network. On the negative site is the sharing of the revenues with a MNO. In the third column of table 4.2, another scenario for the facility owner is shown, to install the
4.1. Preliminary asset analysis 35 Asset / Actor FO FO with FO with
in General Licensed TV-white space Pricate spectrum ? Free Spectrum X RAN Operation ? X Backhaul Provision ? X Site Operation X X X Customer Acquisition X X X Access Provisioning ? X Id & Trust Provisioning ? X Charging and Billing ? ? MBS Operation
Wide Area Coverage
Registered Customers X X X Unregistered Customers X X X Core Business Attraction X X X Market Push X X X Facility Wiring ? X
Table 4.2: Asset analysis for Facility Owner
facility wiring, the RAN which will emit over unlicensed spectrum or TVWS and the AAA server for its registered and unregistered customers, operating mostly in independent way as the cooperation with 3rd party billing company is still needed. By following this scenario, the facility owner can co-operate with local MNOs and provide roaming agreements over a fee. This scenario can on the one hand provide higher profits to the facility owner but on the other requires great capital expenditure, technical skills and roaming agreement with MNOs for all customers satisfaction. Both the licensed and TV-White space scenarios are selected to forward for custom business model creation in round two. 4.2.1.4 Wi-Fi Operator
WI-FI operators take advanatage of the fee unlicensed spectrum band to of- fer nomadic WLAN access in hot spots. They are responsible for deployment and operation of the network and usually have both registered and nomadic customers. The customers can originate from another business after a type of co-operation with a hotel for example and thus the customer acquisition is pro- vided by the core business [33]. In the same way charging and payments can be managed by other actors like a hotel, credit card companies, and payment providers or by using the mobile phone subscription. The spectrum currently used is the 2.4 GHz band which is unlicensed and free for anyone to use for. Wi-Fi operators can use open business models like The Cloud, closed business models like internet on trains and vertical models like the-fore mentioned coop- eration with a facility owner [32].
The Wi-Fi operators business entity cornerstone is the usage of unlicensed free spectrum in hot spot areas either with registered or unregistered customers. The Wi-Fi operator is a market entity that can build and operate a RAN using own resources and technicians. However, there are various implementations of
36 Chapter 4. Business Feasibility Analysis Asset / Actor Wi-Fi Wi-Fi with
in General TV-white space Pricate spectrum
Free Spectrum X X RAN Operation X X Core Network Operation
Backhaul Provision ? ? Site Operation
Customer Acquisition ? ? Access Provisioning X X Id & Trust Provisioning X X Charging and Billing ? ? MBS Operation
Wide Area Coverage ? ? Registered Customers
Unregistered Customers Core Business Attraction
Market Push ? ? Facility Wiring ? ? Table 4.3: Asset analysis for Wi-Fi operator
Wi-Fi operators in the market differentiating them and their assets accordingly. For example, the Wi-Fi can implement fully AAA service or implement the au- thentication and authorization part with the need of a third party company for the billing and accounting. Furthermore, depending on the business model of the Wi-Fi operator, it can also operate its own backhaul connection towards the core network of an ISP, have a marketing department for customer acquisition and therefore market push. In addition, the Wi-Fi operator can have registered customers with long term agreements when there is wide area coverage, or un- registered random customers in case of a hot spot like a hotel. However, the comparison between the current usage of unlicensed spectrum and TV-White space shows no differentiation in the access and customer acquisition part of a Wi-Fi. Therefore, only the TV-White space scenario will be further investigated in the second and third round.
4.2.1.5 TVWSO
TV white space operator only is a fictional mobile network operator that owns the infrastructure and uses only the available TV white space spectrum to offer MBA. A TVWSO operator can cover both indoor access with the aid of fem- tocells and outdoor access by installing macro-base stations. Even though a TWSO operator does not exist as an entity in the market yet, this thesis will investigate the possibility and profitability of such existence.
A TV-white space only operator as an entity inherits the characteristics of a mobile virtual operator with the difference in the spectrum used. A MVNO after an agreement with a MNO buys in whole price recourses of the network and sells in retail prices to its customers. This is beneficial for the MNO as there is better resource consumption and profit generation and also for the MVNO as
4.2. Model Construction and Cost Calculation 37