Etiquette modification for unlicensed spectrum: approach and impact

In the unlicensed spectrum, any device is free to transmit without a government license that implies exclusive access. Such spectrum has significant benefits, but serious challenges must first be overcome. Foremost is the risk of drastic performance degradation and inefficient spectrum utilization, due to a lack of incentive to conserve shared spectrum. Previous work has shown this problem to be a real possibility. This paper demonstrates that the solution lies in proper regulation of access to unlicensed spectrum and its usage. We present a choice of potential solutions that vary in the degree to which they solve the problem, and in their impact on performance.