Abstract
The 5th Generation wireless and mobile communication is expected to provide ultrahigh data rates over wireless in the range of Gbps. But 5G will also be about providing consistency and supporting Quality of Experience in a personalized manner. We foresee an evolution in terms of physical layer enhancements to provide increased data rates, whereas a revolutionary step is required in terms of network orchestration and management to provide consistency and efficient utilization of the available resources at a minimum cost. In this chapter, key trends in wireless access technologies and thus-required network management strategies with respect to the core network are discussed. In the roadmap towards 5G networks, we envision an evolution of technologies for supporting Gbps wireless transmission, whereas a revolution would be required from the current modus operandi in the ways network orchestration and resource management is performed in these complex, hierarchical, heterogeneous and highly autonomous wireless networks.
Top2. Towards 5G: Rat Evolution & Ran Revolution
In this section, we outline issues related to RAT and RAN designs. Notably, we outline some of the lessons learned from previous design efforts of 3G and 4G networks. Then, we discuss emerging trends and how they are reflected in the RAT and RAN designs.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Phantom Cells: Small cells that are controlled by a macro-cell BS controller in wireless split based architectures.
mmWave Communications: The use of spectrum bands between 30 and 300 GHz, in which available bandwidth can be much wider than today’s cellular networks where spectrum use is in the vicinity of 3GHz.
Network Virtualization: The process of uniting hardware (and software) network resources and network functionalities into isolated, software-based administrative entities that allows the creation of virtual networks on top of the (shared) physical network infrastructure.
Split-Architectures: Physical decoupling on the wireless access between the user-plane and control-plane. In split-architectures, small cells provide high data rate communication to the users whilst network orchestration take place via a macro-Base Station that act as the control plane for efficient wireless resource management.
HetNets: The use of a wide range of different technologies - base stations, radio access networks, including WLANs - as well as multiple cell sizes and transmission power levels.
Vertical/Horizontal Handover: Providing service continuity upon changing the point of attachment of a mobile user in the case of same radio access network technology (horizontal handover) or different radio access technology (vertical handover).
Uplink/Downlink Decoupling: Differentiating mobile user cell association for downlink and uplink traffic in different wireless access points depending on overall network conditions and mobile user location.