Wireless network virtualization and cloud-based technologies allow flexible dynamic network composition and lower the entry barriers to the market for both emerging wireless resource providers and niche VNOs. As a result, the economic landscape of providing connectivity services is changing, and the existing pricing and procuring mechanisms of wireless services are becoming obsolete.

Virtualization will generate a more heterogeneous wireless networks ecosystem with new players both on the supply side of wireless resources – e.g. local infrastructure providers – and on the demand side – e.g. VNOs specialized in Internet of things services. New and dynamic mechanisms for wireless network orchestration are required to address this heterogeneous environment. In addition to technical aspects related to network management and operation, these new mechanisms should take into account the economic aspects of accessing wireless resources that are heterogeneous both in terms of ownership and type. This creates an interdisciplinary research area that needs a vast variety of expertise including knowledge of network architecture, data analysis and machine learning, game and auction theory, mechanism design, two-side pricing and billing, and user behavior analysis.

This workshop will focus on the technical and economic challenges of virtualized wireless networks. The goal of this workshop is to engage wireless engineers, data scientists and economists in a joint action and enhance their collaborations in understanding of the network virtualization ecosystem.