A method and
system for sharing spectrum in a
wireless communications network are disclosed. As one example, a method for sharing spectrum is disclosed, which includes the steps of determining if two base stations in the
wireless communications network are to share a
frequency spectrum, and if two base stations in the
wireless communications network are to share a
frequency spectrum, determining if the two base stations in the wireless communications network have non-overlapping wireless communications coverage. Also, if the two base stations in the wireless communications network have non-overlapping wireless communications coverage, determining if a first mobile communications unit associated with a first
base station of the two base stations has wireless communications coverage that overlaps with wireless communications coverage of a second mobile communications unit associated with a second
base station of the two base stations, and if the first mobile communications unit has wireless communications coverage that overlaps with wireless communications coverage of the second mobile communications unit, enabling the two base stations to use a synchronized parallel operation
spectrum sharing mode for communications. Also, a Contention-for-being-Master approach is disclosed as one primary method for sharing spectrum, which can be treated separately from all other contention methods, or combined with the exemplary contention method disclosed herein.