The Legal Prerequisites for 5G Network Slicing

3 May 2019
May 3, 2019

Time: 2 pm
Venue: Via Sommarive 5 - Polo Ferrari 1 (Povo, TN) - Room A203

Speaker

Abstract

Enthusiasm about the impending arrival of 5G has overshadowed the fact that industry leaders have yet to identify business model that will support its deployment. Discussions have increasingly focused on the version of network functions virtualization (NFV) known as network slicing. Although the engineering has continued to address how to make network slicing work from a technical standpoint, little attention has been paid to date on the technological features needed to make it work legally and economically and potential regulatory obstacles that may prevent it from being deployed.

The academic literature on contract law provides insights into the primitives needed to enable parties to enter into contracts for individual elements. Specifically, contractibility theory indicates that elements must be observable and verifiable. To do that, certain elements must be built into the spanning layer visible to all actors in order to support the ordering, provisioning, metering, and billing for the slices.

In addition, European telecommunications providers and device manufacturers issued a seven-page “5G Manifesto” in 2016 identifying regulations that they believe are deterring investment and research and development into 5G. In particular, the manifesto and accompanying commentary suggest that an overly strict interpretation of EU network neutrality regulations can impede network slicing. A broad interpretation should accommodate network slicing and other new business models needed to support the deployment of 5G.

About the Speaker

Christopher Yoo has emerged as one of the nation’s leading authorities on law and technology. Recognized as one of the most cited scholars in administrative and regulatory law as well as intellectual property, his major research projects include studying innovative ways to connect more people to the Internet; using technological principles to inform how the law can promote optimal interoperability; protecting privacy and security for autonomous vehicles, medical devices, and the Internet’s routing architecture; comparing antitrust enforcement practices in China, Europe, and the U.S.; copyright theory; and network neutrality. He is also building innovative integrated interdisciplinary joint degree programs designed to produce a new generation of professionals with advanced training in both law and engineering. The author of more than 100 scholar works, Yoo testifies frequently before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, and foreign governments.  

Contact:ict.school [at] unitn.it ( ICT Doctoral School )