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About course

IK2514 Wireless Infrastructure Deployment & Economics 7.5 credits

Administer About course

Scope

The course focuses on business and technical aspectes of wireless mobile infrastructures

Objectives

After the course the students should be able to:

- describe and analyze telecom markets in terms of services, segments, actors and relations

- make a network design given demand, dimensioning principles, cost and performance figures

- model and analyze the cost structure of the infrastructure of an operator

- use business modeling and value chain concepts in order to analyze service concepts

Approach

Since the course covers a multitude of architectures, concepts, methods and tools within both wireless technology as well as areas of economics and business, a very strong focus is put on “learning by doing.  The course includes a large number of concepts, aspects etc, that each may not be so complex or difficult to understand, but the combination of all aspects leads to a very high degree of complexity. Hence, each part of the course ends with an individual homework

Course offerings are missing for current or upcoming semesters.
Headings with content from the Course syllabus IK2514 (Spring 2019–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

Introduction to tele-economics;

  • Market structure, type of actors and business relations at telecom markets.
  • Telecom regulation and type of regulated markets and services.
  • History of mobile communication (phases, technology, standardization).

Spectrum regulation

  • Spectrum Management Regimes (Licensed/Unlicensed - market/command&control).
  • Market based spectrum allocation: spectrum auctions.
  • Dynamic/opportunistic/"White Space" spectrum access.

Wireless Broadband Network dimensioning and deployment

  • Deployment strategies and dimensioning principles, demand, spectrum and capacity aspects
  • Cost structure of telecom and broadband networks, operator examples
  • Capital & operational expenditure (CAPEX & OPEX), Net present value, price erosion

Mobile operator business

  • Overview and pricing of mobile services, charging and billing, subscriptions
  • Mobile Service Regulation, Mobile operator competition and strategic planning
  • Financing, investments and risk, revenue streams, willingness to pay, decision making factors.

Intended learning outcomes

The course will enable the students to describe, design and analyze wireless systems not only from a pure technical functionality and performance perspective but also taking into account the architetcure, deployment, operation, service delivery, market, cost structure and revenue aspects.

The objective of the course is that  the students should be able to:

  • describe and analyze telecom markets in terms of services, market segments and market actors
  • describe basic regulatory tools and the impact on competition & pricing
  • make a network design given demand, dimensioning principles, cost and performance figures
  • model and analyze the cost structure of an operators infrastructure and service delivery chain
  • use business modeling concepts to analyze operator markets, services offers and value networks.

Course disposition

No information inserted

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

  • IK2510 Wireless Networks
  • documented proficiency in English B or equivalent.

Recommended prerequisites

IK2500 Radio Communication Basic Course

IK2510 Wireless Networks

Equipment

No information inserted

Literature

  • Anteckningar
  • Forskningsartiklar och utdelat material

Examination and completion

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Grading scale

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Examination

  • LAB1 - Laboratory Work, 1.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
  • PRO1 - Project, 3.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
  • TEN1 - Written Assignment, 3.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Other requirements for final grade

  • Homeworks INL1 3,0 HEC (P/F)
  • Lab on Operator business LAB1 1,5 HEC (P/F)
  • Small project including report and presentation PRO1 3,0 HEC (A-F)

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

No information inserted

Examiner

Ethical approach

  • All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
  • In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
  • In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information

Course web

Further information about the course can be found on the Course web at the link below. Information on the Course web will later be moved to this site.

Course web IK2514

Offered by

Main field of study

Electrical Engineering

Education cycle

Second cycle

Add-on studies

No information inserted

Contact

Jan Markendahl, janmar@kth.se

Supplementary information

In this course, the EECS code of honor applies, see: http://www.kth.se/en/eecs/utbildning/hederskodex.

Course material:  Course notes and journal articles