A system dynamics approach to demand and allocation of wireless spectrum for mobile communication

The National Broadband Plan recommends that the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) should make 300 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum available for mobile broadband use within five years. Finding this spectrum is a major issue as radio spectrum is an encumbered and finite resource. Therefore, the case must be made that “Spectrum Utilization” is not optimal under current conditions and the “Spectrum Scarcity” is for real. The study presented here takes the System Dynamics approach to demonstrate how this situation might be justified. We utilize Stock and Flow model to reconstruct the framework recommended by the FCC and present results that justify the need for more spectrum.The paper also explains why System Dynamics appears to be a comprehensive approach to address wireless industry's “Spectrum Scarcity and Utilization” problem. Dynamic behavior among different variables of the wireless ecosystem is also analyzed through simulation. Preliminary simulation results show that mobile data demand will exceed the current capacity of cellular networks and will create a deficit if more spectrum is not released. We conclude the paper highlighting future research work - expanding and calibrating the model - using System Dynamics techniques.