A two-stage spectrum leasing optimization framework for virtual mobile network operators

Abstract

Wireless network visualization (WNV) allows mobile network operators (MNOs) to lease its network infrastructure or licensed spectrum to virtual mobile network operators (VMNOs). A VMNO in WNV pays the MNOs for leasing wireless resources and receives payments from its mobile subscribers (MSs) based on the qualities of communication services. In this paper, we propose a novel two-stage spectrum leasing framework to maximize the average profit of a VMNO. Specifically, a VMNO can first make long-term spectrum lease based on the prediction of the average user traffic intensity over a long time period. Besides, the VMNO can flexibly make additional short-term leases based on the actual realizations of MS locations. We adopt a general alpha-fairness utility function to evaluate the qualities of downlink services to MSs. Within the proposed framework, we derive a closed-form expression for the optimal short-term leasing strategy for the VMNO, based on which we then propose an efficient algorithm to calculate the optimal long-term lease strategy. Simulation results show that the proposed two-stage spectrum leasing strategies can effectively increase the profit of VMNOs.