Decentralized Unlicensed Spectrum Management in Beyond 5G Heterogeneous Networks
Faisal Zaman, Abdelhakim Senhaji Hafid, Dimitrios Makrakis · 2025
The introduction of several new unlicensed spectrum bands in Beyond 5G (B5G) and HetNet enables unprecedented data rates, ultra-low latency, and the capacity to support vast numbers of connected devices. However, to fully realize the potential of unlicensed spectrum bands, efficient management is essential. Traditionally, managing unlicensed bands has focused on controlling contention and interference, often using protocols like LTE-U and Listen Before Talk (LBT). Yet, because unlicensed spectrum is shared, achieving fair usage across users remains a challenge. In this paper, we present a decentralized approach for managing unlicensed spectrum in B5G HetNets. We propose a population-based spectrum sharing with soft-threshold variable to reduce hoarding and to improve fairness. The resource sharing logic is implemented through smart contract to facilitate fair and efficient spectrum sharing among coexisting base stations. Simulations comparing different methods, including fairness-enabled and inter-cell LBT approaches, reveal that our solution reduces both spectrum hoarding and rejection rates compared to solutions that do not use fair-sharing.