Why different carriers adopt different spectrum acquisition strategies

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.

Hemant K. SabatEmail: