Incentives for the key stakeholders in the hybrid use of the UHF broadcasting spectrum utilizing Supplemental Downlink: A dynamic capabilities view

Abstract

This paper investigates key stakeholders' incentives for the hybrid use of the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) spectrum for broadcasting and mobile broadband using novel Supplemental Downlink (SDL) Carrier Aggregation (CA) technique from the dynamic capabilities perspective of strategic management. So far broadcaster (BC) community has lacked true incentives for sharing the spectrum they currently use and have seen sharing only as unilateral repurposing act from regulatory bodies and Mobile Network Operators (MNO). In this paper we focus on key stakeholders capability to deal with combined internal and external resources and capabilities in doing business, refered as Dynamic Capability (DC). Spectrum sharing introducing a rapid change in the stakeholders business environments requires dynamic capabilities of hybrid use from both spectrum offering and spectrum utilization perspectives. We focus on identifying and discussing broadcaster incumbents' and MNO licensees' key antecedents, processes, and outcomes related to hybrid use of UHF spectrum using the supplementary downlink (SDL) carrier aggregation (CA) concept. Based on our DC analysis, we found incentives that could motivate both the incumbents and licensees to consider the hybrid use of UHF spectrum as a co-creation opportunity, and provide viewponts for the regulatory bodies to be considered when developing new regulatory models for accessing UHF spectrum.