Licensed Shared Access (LSA)

Fairspectrum operates a LSA spectrum reservation system since 2016. The tool can be used to reserve an area, time and frequency band. Before accepting the reservation, the tool computes if the new reservation causes harmful interference to the existing reservations. As the approved reservations are protected from the future reservations, the reservation system acts with a first-come-first-served principle.

Fairspectrum has developed Licensed Shared Access (LSA) spectrum management tools for LTE and 5G networks. The tools include LSA Repository and LSA Controller defined in ETSI TS 103 235. The Repository and Controller functionalities have also been integrated to a LSA Spectrum Manager. The work has been carried out together with several network vendors, operators and regulators. There is a wide range of academic publications from the projects in the Publications section.

LSA is able to open frequency bands which are underutilized for Mobile Network Operators. LSA system maintains the spectrum use of incumbents and controls the operating parameters of the mobile network so that no harmful interference is caused. A more recent version of LSA also supports local, temporary networks.

Licensed Shared Access is backed up by the Decision of the European Commission. Opening e.g. 2.3 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands for private LTE and 5G creates demand for LSA solutions. Generally, LSA is a very flexible tool, which can be used without any software or hardware modification in UEs, eNBs, gNBs, EPC or OAM. LSA is defined for the 3GPP band 40 (2.3-2.4 GHz) by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT). ETSI introduced related system reference, requirements and architecture documents. The second use case recently considered in European regulation is the application of LSA into the 3.6-3.8 GHz band. Operation, administration and management (OAM) support for LSA has been standardized by 3GPP. ETSI RRS standardized evolved LSA focuses on temporary spectrum access for local high-quality wireless networks covering the following use cases and requirements: Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE), Wireless Industrial Automation (WIA), Public Protection Disaster Relief (PPDR), and e-Health.

Examples of Fairspectrum LSA application areas include: PMSE, industrial IoT, Fixed Wireless Access, Critical communications