Random Linear Network Coding for 5G Mobile Video Delivery

An exponential increase in mobile video delivery will continue with the demand for higher resolution, multi-view and large-scale multicast video services. Novel fifth generation (5G) 3GPP New Radio (NR) standard will bring a number of new opportunities for optimizing video delivery across both 5G core and radio access networks. One of the promising approaches for video quality adaptation, throughput enhancement and erasure protection is the use of packet-level random linear network coding (RLNC). In this review paper, we discuss the integration of RLNC into the 5G NR standard, building upon the ideas and opportunities identified in 4G LTE. We explicitly identify and discuss in detail novel 5G NR features that provide support for RLNC-based video delivery in 5G, thus pointing out to the promising avenues for future research.Comment: Invited paper for Special Issue "Network and Rateless Coding for Video Streaming" - MDPI Informatio

A Multi-Game Framework for Harmonized LTE-U and WiFi Coexistence over Unlicensed Bands

The introduction of LTE over unlicensed bands (LTE-U) will enable LTE base stations (BSs) to boost their capacity and offload their traffic by exploiting the underused unlicensed bands. However, to reap the benefits of LTE-U, it is necessary to address various new challenges associated with LTE-U and WiFi coexistence. In particular, new resource management techniques must be developed to optimize the usage of the network resources while handling the interdependence between WiFi and LTE users and ensuring that WiFi users are not jeopardized. To this end, in this paper, a new game theoretic tool, dubbed as \emph{multi-game} framework is proposed as a promising approach for modeling resource allocation problems in LTE-U. In such a framework, multiple, co-existing and coupled games across heterogeneous channels can be formulated to capture the specific characteristics of LTE-U. Such games can be of different properties and types but their outcomes are largely interdependent. After introducing the basics of the multi-game framework, two classes of algorithms are outlined to achieve the new solution concepts of multi-games. Simulation results are then conducted to show how such a multi-game can effectively capture the specific properties of LTE-U and make of it a "friendly" neighbor to WiFi.Comment: Accepted for publication at IEEE Wireless Communications Magazine, Special Issue on LTE in Unlicensed Spectru

Enabling RAN Slicing Through Carrier Aggregation in mmWave Cellular Networks

The ever increasing number of connected devices and of new and heterogeneous mobile use cases implies that 5G cellular systems will face demanding technical challenges. For example, Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) and enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) scenarios present orthogonal Quality of Service (QoS) requirements that 5G aims to satisfy with a unified Radio Access Network (RAN) design. Network slicing and mmWave communications have been identified as possible enablers for 5G. They provide, respectively, the necessary scalability and flexibility to adapt the network to each specific use case environment, and low latency and multi-gigabit-per-second wireless links, which tap into a vast, currently unused portion of the spectrum. The optimization and integration of these technologies is still an open research challenge, which requires innovations at different layers of the protocol stack. This paper proposes to combine them in a RAN slicing framework for mmWaves, based on carrier aggregation. Notably, we introduce MilliSlice, a cross-carrier scheduling policy that exploits the diversity of the carriers and maximizes their utilization, thus simultaneously guaranteeing high throughput for the eMBB slices and low latency and high reliability for the URLLC flows.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. Proc. of the 18th Mediterranean Communication and Computer Networking Conference (MedComNet 2020), Arona, Italy, 202

3GPP Long Term Evolution: Architecture, Protocols and Interfaces

The evolution of wireless networks is a continuous phenomenon. Some key trends in this changing process include: reduced latency, increased performance with substantial reduction in costs, and seamless mobility. Long Term Evolution (LTE) is based on an evolved architecture that makes it a candidate of choice for next generation wireless mobile networks. This paper provides an overview of both the core and access networks of LTE. Functional details of the associated protocols and interfaces are also presented