The objective of this study is to support the Commission building up its knowledge base on the technological and economic models of network sharing in the context of possible EU policy initiatives on the issue. In particular the study should address the following tasks:

1) estimate the cost synergies in deployment and operation of fast wireless broadband networks in different network-sharing scenarios;

2) identify and quantify potential benefits from mobile network sharing for consumers and for society as a whole and explore possible framing conditions that would be needed for their accrual;

3) identify and quantify potential negative effects arising through mobile network sharing, assess their potential impact on consumers and businesses and explore possible framing conditions that would prevent them;

4) assess for typical scenarios the overall effect of potential benefits and potentially arising negative effects;

5) identify existing and potential barriers that prevent operators from entering into network-sharing agreements provided that potential synergies are substantial.