Background
Common in many countries, infrastructure sharing can provide additional capacity in congested areas where space for sites and towers is limited and help to expand coverage in underserved geographical areas.
Infrastructure-sharing arrangements allow mobile operators to jointly use masts, buildings and even antennae, avoiding unnecessary duplication. It has the potential to strengthen competition and reduce the carbon footprint of mobile networks while also reducing costs for operators.
As with spectrum-trading arrangements, mobile infrastructure sharing has traditionally involved voluntary cooperation between licensed mobile operators based on their commercial needs.
Debate
Should regulators oversee, approve or manage infrastructure-sharing arrangements?
What role should governments play in the development and management
of core infrastructure?
Industry position
Governments should have a regulatory framework that allows voluntary infrastructure sharing among mobile operators.
While it may, at times, be advantageous for mobile operators to share infrastructure, network deployment remains an important competitive advantage in mobile markets. Any sharing should therefore be the result of commercial negotiation, not mandated or subject to additional regulatory constraints or fees.
National regulatory frameworks should facilitate all types of infrastructure-sharing arrangements. This can include sharing various components of mobile networks, including so-called passive and active sharing. In some cases, site sharing (a type of passive sharing) increases competition by giving operators access to sites that are necessary to allow them to compete on quality of service and coverage.
Infrastructure-sharing agreements should be governed by commercial law and, as such, be subject to assessment under general competition law.
Access to government-owned trunk assets should be available on non-discriminatory commercial terms at a reasonable market rate.
Resources
Unlocking Rural Coverage: Enablers for Commercially Sustainable Mobile Network Expansion, GSMA, July 2016