An improved architecture for integrating Fourth Generation wireless and Passive Optical Networks

Abstract

The necessity to support the rapidly growing high speed broadband services requires the use of latest technologies and quality of service (QoS) control techniques. Two such technologies include Fourth Generation (4G) wireless and New Generation Passive Optical Networks (NG PON). 4G communication technology encompasses both wireless and cellular systems, which aims to provide real-time voice, video and Internet services to the end user with high QoS. Moreover, it offers high throughput and supports mobility. A passive optical network (PON) is a reliable back haul technology, which can provide high bandwidth and is highly cost effective. The combination of 4G with NG-PON creates an access network that is cost efficient, reliable, flexible as well as facilitating mobility and ubiquity. However, this integration has many challenges such as maintaining the QoS of whole network. In this paper, we propose the NG PON as an alternative solution for the point to point fiber in the 4G centralized co-ordinated Multi-Point (COMP) transmission and reception. This architecture is for joint transmission downlink COMP which benefits from the broadcasting transmission in the downlink of PON. Moreover, it serves both fixed and mobile stations. The simulation compares the capital cost of using NG PON against point to point fibre in COMP architecture. The results reveal that up to 80 percent cost reduction can be achieved by using the proposed solution.

Green Wireless-Optical Broadband Access Network: Energy and Quality-of-Service Considerations

“…Among various access network technologies, passive optical network (PON) technology is highly regarded for its reliability, power efficiency, and high capacity [5,6]. The other popular choice for access technology is wireless broadband [e.g., fourth generation (4G)], which is cost efficient and supports mobility and high bandwidth.…”

The Escape of Sisyphus or What “Post NG-PON2” Should Do Apart from Neverending Capacity Upgrades

“…Clearly, NG-PONs are expected to play an important role in the support of coordinated multipoint (CoMP) coordination schemes among base stations (BSs) in 4G LTE/WiMAX networks. For instance, it was shown in [5] that by using XG-PONs instead of point-to-point fibers, fiber backhaul deployment costs in 4G CoMP architectures can be reduced by up to 80%. In fact, in emerging LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) heterogeneous networks (HetNets), where femtocells with small, inexpensive, low-power BSs are introduced to supplement existing macrocells for the sake of an improved (indoor) coverage, enhanced cell-edge user performance, and boosted spectral efficiency per area unit, a cellular paradigm shift is required that recognizes the importance of high-speed backhaul connections, given that most 4G research so far has been focusing on the achievable performance gains in the wireless front-end only without looking into the details of backhaul implementations and possible backhaul bottlenecks [6].…”

Inside smart FiWi-HetNets and the explosion of mobile data traffic

“…Beside WiFi offloading, key to the cost-effective deployment and operation of small cell networks, arising from the introduction of femtocells and WiFi hotspots to supplement existing macrocells, will be the sharing of already existing high-capacity FTTx backhaul infrastructures [5]. It was shown in [6] that by using so-called XG-PONs, which offer symmetrical data rates of 10 Gb/s, instead of point-to-point fibers, fiber backhaul deployment costs of 4G coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmission and reception among multiple base stations, one of the important performance-enhancing features of the latest 3GPP LTE-A Release-11, can be reduced by up to 80%. Recently, AT&T has reported on their strategy to leverage existing passive optical network (PON) based fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) residential access network, right of way, and already installed powering facilities to provide inexpensive small cell backhaul [7].…”