Can We Incentivize Sensing in a Light-Handed Way?

Abstract

The current approach to regulate spectrum sensing seems light-handed (just specify the target sensitivity), but has very heavy-handed consequences. The problem is that sensitivity is an intermediate metric that is convenient for certification, but is not reflecting the true externalities imposed by inadequate sensing. This mismatch causes overhead: usually an overinvestment in sensing at the single-radio level and the inability to exploit synergies across multiple radios because the benefit does not show up in the certification metric of sensitivity. Light-handed approaches have the benefit of allowing such flexibility but come with their own overheads. This paper explores this question in some detail to see if criminal-law inspired light-handed approaches can work without imposing more overhead than it is worth.