A Radio Channel Sharing Method Using a Bargaining Game Model

Network sharing between MNO (Mobile Network Operator) and MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) imposes a new design challenge on devising a fair and efficient radio channel allocation method. Partitioning the amount of radio channels statically between MNO and MVNO is a simple way to share radio resources. However, since input loads of the operators are usually asymmetric, the resource utilization and the system capacity in terms of the number of accepted users are limited if the resources are not dynamically shared between MNO and MVNO. In this paper, we employ a bargaining game theory to provide a framework for radio channel sharing strategy between these two types of operators. In the proposed scheme, the operators bargain the radio channels so as to increase the resource utilization by allocating unused channels of an operator to the other operator needing more channels. Furthermore, the proposed scheme allocates radio resources in a fair manner according to the number of services of operators so as to prevent an operator from monopolizing radio channels.