Database-Assisted Television White Space Technology: Challenges, Trends and Future Research Directions

Television white space (TVWS) technology is approaching the potential roll-out phase for commercial deployment, supported by recent pilot projects being conducted globally. Undeniably, TVWS technology is faced with daunting challenges that require attention. To enable an ecosystem in which TVWS technology can flourish, there is a need for a complete analysis of the challenges, trends and future research direction related to this technology. Database-assisted TVWS technology is market driven, geared toward the spectrum reuse paradigm, and faces fewer technical hurdles. Our goal in this paper is to present a tutorial review of the challenges related to database-assisted TVWS networks using the SLEPT (social, legal, economic, political, and technological) analysis framework. The SLEPT framework is a management model that is extensively used for quantitative analysis. A brief review of TVWS technology using the SLEPT model reveals that the technology has been socially accepted, legal challenges are evident in some countries, economic models are the way forward and are main focus of current research trends, TVWS technology cannot be implemented without political will emanating from spectrum reforms, and there are many coexistence-motivated technological issues confronting TVWS technology. In summary, this paper provides an up-to-date survey on TVWS and presents current trends and future research directions in the TVWS context.