Chapter 17 - Emerging optical communication technologies for 5G

Abstract

To address the new requirements on optical networks imposed by the upcoming fifth-generation wireless (5G), such as high bandwidth, low latency, accurate synchronization, high reliability, and flexible application-specific network slicing, a new generation of optical networks that are optimized for 5G is in great demand. In this chapter we will present and discuss enabling technologies for such 5G-oriented optical networks. We will first describe 5G wireless trends and technologies such as cloud radio access networks, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), and coordinated multiple-point (CoMP). We will then present recent advances on the common public radio interface and the Ethernet-based CPRI. Point-to-point and point-to-multiple-point (PTMP) fronthaul architectures will be presented. Emerging optical communication technologies such as low-cost intensity-modulation and direct detection schemes, 400+Gb/s coherent modulation and detection, next-generation reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers and optical cross-connects, and other associated techniques to achieve high-throughput and low-latency wireless fronthaul and backhaul networks will be discussed. Finally, we will discuss 5G-oriented optical network architectures of various optical transport and access networks to better support the upcoming 5G wireless.