This document compares regulated electricity markets with single providers to unregulated markets with multiple companies. For electricity, unregulated markets allow multiple generating, marketing, and transmission companies to operate, with marketing companies selling electricity purchased from generators or generating their own. Similarly, unregulated wireless markets feature multiple companies that own spectrum and wireless networks, with marketing companies selling access purchased from these infrastructure providers to individual customers. Both electricity and wireless access markets enable companies to buy and sell capacity to meet long and short term demand.

1. Unregulated Electricity Market Open Access Wireless Market
Single regulated company delivers
electricity via transmission grid
Single entity delivers wireless
service via large high coverage
wireless network
Multiple marketing companies
deliver electricity to the grid
Multiple marketing companies sell
service to customers
Multiple generating companies
sell electricity to the marketing
companies or marketing
companies have their own
generating capacity
Multiple companies own spectrum
that can be used by the wireless
network
A market exists where companies
can buy and sell capacity to
handle long term or short term
demand.
A market exists where companies
can buy and sell capacity to
handle long term or short term
demand.
Individual customers sign up with
marketing companies for service
Individual customers sign up with
marketing companies for service
Electricity Versus Wireless Access