Cloud radio access network fronthaul solution using optimized dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithm

In order to address the challenges that have come with the exploding demand for higher speed, traffic growth and mobile wireless devices, Mobile network operators have decided to move to the notion of small cells based on cloud radio access network. The merits of cloud based RAN includes the ease of infrastructure deployment and network management as well as the fact that its performance are optimized and it is cost effective the merits of cloud based RAN includes the ease of infrastructure deployment and network management as well as the fact that its performance are optimized and it is cost effective. Notwithstanding, cloud radio access network comes with so many strict requirements to be fulfilled for its fronthaul network. In this paper, we have presented these requirements for a 5G fronthaul network. Particular interest on the time division multiplex passive optical network’s challenge of latency was treated by proposing an optimized version of the round robin dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithm. Results obtained show an improvement in the latency of the original algorithm which meets the fronthaul requirement. Other test parameters like jitter and BER were also improved by our proposed optimized algorithm

GPON and V-band mmWave in green backhaul solution for 5G ultra-dense network

Ultra-dense network (UDN) is characterized by massive deployment of small cells which resulted into complex backhauling of the cells. This implies that for 5G UDN to be energy efficient, appropriate backhauling solutions must be provided. In this paper, we have evaluated the performance of giga passive optical network (GPON) and V-band millimetre wave (mmWave) in serving as green backhaul solution for 5G UDN. The approach was to first reproduce existing backhaul solutions in Very Dense Network (VDN) scenario which served as benchmark for the performance evaluation for the UDN scenario. The best two solutions, GPON and V-band solutions from the VDN were then deployed in 5G UDN scenario. The research was done by simulation in MATLAB. The performance metrics used were power consumption and energy efficiency against the normalized hourly traffic profile. The result revealed that GPON and V-band mmWave outperformed other solutions in VDN scenario. However, this performance significantly dropped in the UDN scenariodue to higher data traffic requirement of UDN compared to VDN. Thus, it can be concluded that GPON and V-band mmWave are not best suited to serve as green backhaul solution for 5G UDN necessitating further investigation of other available backhaul technologies

Performance Analysis of E-Band 70/80 GHz Frequency Segment for Point to Point Gigabit Connectivity

The commercial viability for E-Band spectrum has attracted a lot of research for the last decade in order to find economic wireless gigabit connectivity that can complement fiber optic cable. This paper has analyzed the usefulness of E-Band point-to-point microwave link in providing wireless backhaul capacities comparable to that of fiber optic cable. In particular, microwave links that utilize the E-band frequencies were set up in three different cities in Kenya i.e. Mombasa (Latitude 04 01 24.10 S, Longitude 039 37 35.10 E) and validated the acceptable propagation and performance of millimeter wave links at E-Band frequencies for distances within and well above the promised limits in the existing literature. Daily occurrences of signal losses closely match the rainfall pattern, and this has been used to further validate the practicality of the experiments. These experiments were successful in verifying that E-Band can be used in Kenya for short range backhaul connectivity and in slightly over stretched path lengths of 3-6 km under clear atmospheric conditions