On Controlling Spectrum Fragility via Resource Pricing in 5G Wireless Networks

This letter presents a novel resource management and control framework in order to address the spectrum fragility in fifth generation wireless networks, supporting both licensed and unlicensed band access. In particular, we treat unlicensed band as a common pool of resources (CPR) susceptible to collapse if overexploited, and investigate the concept of pricing users’ power investment in the unlicensed band, in order to control spectrum fragility. User risk perceptions under probabilistic uncertainty are modeled via prospect theory and the tragedy of the commons. The corresponding problem is confronted as a Fragile CPR game with pricing, and convergence to Nash equilibrium is obtained through S-modular game theory. The impact of pricing on spectrum fragility and overall network performance, is evaluated via modeling and simulation.