Page 143 - ITU Journal Future and evolving technologies – Volume 2 (2021), Issue 2

ITU Journal on Future and Evolving Technologies, Volume 2 (2021), Issue 2

INFRASTRUCTURE SHARING MODEL TO CONNECT THE UNCONNECTED IN RURAL AREAS

1
2
Ida Semevo TOGNISSE , Ahmed Dooguy KORA , Jules DEGILA 1
́
̀
2
1 Institut de Mathematiques et Sciences Physiques, Porto‑Novo, Benin, Ecole Superieure Multinationale des
́
́
Telecommunications Dakar, Senegal
́
́
̀
NOTE: Corresponding author: Ida Semevo TOGNISSE, ida.tognisse@imsp‑uac.org
́
Abstract – One of the major problems the telecommunication industry faces in providing connectivity to the unconnected,
particularly in rural and remote areas, is the lack of infrastructure in these areas. Indeed, deploying a network in an isolated
area can be more expensive for an operator than in an urban area, while the return on investment is not possible. This is the
primary cause of the coverage divide. To remedy this, in this work, we propose a techno‑economic analysis of infrastructure
sharing. First, we develop a mathematical model of the overall cost of extending a mobile network in rural areas. Differ‑
ent scenarios involving infrastructure sharing at varying levels of deployment are then presented. Then, using the models
proposed in each scenario, we make a case study to deduce the most economically advantageous scenario for operators to
extend their networks to remote areas. This case involves the sharing of passive infrastructure and also the sharing of active
resources in a cloud‑RAN. Based on the proposed model, our simulation results show that while passive sharing is bene icial,
active sharing using cloud‑RAN as technology increases this bene it. This work also indicates and highlights the technical
constraints to be respected in the sharing for this scenario.

Keywords – Digital divide, infrastructure sharing, rural areas, total cost of ownership
1. INTRODUCTION [7, 8, 9]. In this paper, the purpose is to set

up a mathematical model of infrastructure sharing by

Around the world, the number of Internet users is in‑ operators in the sense of universal access to techno-

creasing. New services, innovative applications, unique logies. Several scenarios are analysed to determine the

opportunities are offered through the Internet. But the most advantageous model for reducing the digital divide

digital divide still exists. The digital divide is de ined in rural areas. To do this, we started from existing sharing
as the separation between those who are connected and techniques and built scenarios using combinatorial
have access to services and those who are not. Accord‑ methods. We irst propose mathematical models to

ing to Global System for Mobile Communications Associ‑ calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to measure
ation (GSMA) reports, 46 percent of the world’s popula‑ the bene its of infrastructure sharing, to carry out a

tion is still affected by the digital divide [1]. Typically, comparative analysis of the scenarios to suggest the best

these populations are those living in poor, isolated and alternative from a inancial point of view. To do this, we
started from the following research questions:
rural areas [2]. Indeed, one of the main causes of the dig‑
ital divide is the lack of infrastructure in the regions. The • What are the existing infrastructure sharing mecha‑
direct consequence of the lack of infrastructure in the ar‑ nisms?
eas is mobile telephony, a high cost of deployment for the • How do operators adopt these mechanisms?

operators. For example, to extend a mobile network, a • Which technologies can facilitate infrastructure sharing
cell tower can, on average, costs between $150,000 and as a whole?
$250,000, base station equipment (baseband processors, • What is the most suitable sharing scenario for poor and
transceivers, power supplies, iers, etc.) between isolated rural areas to accelerate bridging of the digital di‑

$20,000 and $50,000, installation of the equipment an‑ vide?

other $25,000, and $5,000 for interconnection to the core To answer these questions, the rest of this paper is organ‑

network [3]. So, it is a relatively expensive investment. ised as follows. First, we present a literature review of

However, if many operators can share the costly elements, different sharing techniques, technologies facilitating ac‑
this could result in substantial savings that can be used to tive sharing, cases of infrastructure sharing by operators,
extend the network in areas not covered [4]. This is why bene its obtained and mathematical models of sharing. In

in the GSMA and International Telecommunication Union a second step, we model the TCO cost of investment ac‑
(ITU) recommendations for bridging the digital divide, cording to several de ined sharing scenarios. Then in the

the association suggests infrastructure sharing by opera‑ last part, we make a case study to examine these different
tors [5, 6]. Infrastructure sharing is a topic that is increas‑ sharing techniques to deduce the most appropriate one to
ingly discussed in the literature, and its many bene its are connect poor and isolated rural areas.
of particular interest in the context of the extension
and deployment of the latest generation of mobile
© International Telecommunication Union, 2021 129