Hybrid Spectrum and Information Market Model

Abstract

In this chapter, we study the issue of hybrid spectrum and information market, where the white space database serves as both a spectrum market platform (for the trading of registered TV channels) and an information market platform (for the trading of advanced information regarding unregistered TV channel). This market characterizes the practical phenomenon that both the registered TV channels and unregistered TV channels can co-exist at the same location and different WSDs may prefer different types of spectrum. Compared with the pure information trading market possesses the positive network externality, we show that such a hybrid market possesses both the positive and negative network externalities. We use a three-stage hierarchical model to analyze the interaction among the white space database, the TV licensee, and WSDs. Specifically, we characterize the negotiation between the white space database and the TV licensee at Stage I, the white space database’s and the TV licensee’s competition at Stage II, and the end-users’ subscription behavior at Stage III. We show that the TV licensee can never get a market share larger than half in this hybrid market. We further show that such an hybrid market can improve the aggregate profit of the white space database and the TV licensee through proper bargaining.