This presentation discusses the challenges facing future 5G networks and potential innovations that could address them. It outlines how networks will need to support massive numbers of devices, low-latency applications, and high bandwidth demands like video streaming. The presentation then introduces concepts like cloud RAN, software-defined networking, network function virtualization, cooperative communications, and flexible backhauling as innovations that could be incorporated into 5G to meet these new challenges. The talk concludes that 5G networks may utilize a heterogeneous mix of technologies tailored for different requirements.

1. 5G networks of the future:
Evolution or revolution?
CROWD Workshop
Jan 14, 2014 - L’Aquila (Italy)
Claudio Cicconetti

2. Agenda
1. Challenges: today and tomorrow
a.k.a. why we need 5G
2. Innovations with potential to address them
a.k.a. what 5G might look like
This talk will be only about network architecture
advances. Of course, future network research
is also active on physical layer aspects!
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

3. Challenges (today)
Credit: Luca Bruno / AP (top), Michael Sohn / AP (bottom)
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

4. Challenges (today)
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

5. New challenges
Lots of smart phones
+ flat billing
+ decreasing revenue per bit
= a big headache
BUT
THAT’S NOTHING!
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

6. Challenges (tomorrow)
Massive Machine Comms
Machine != human
₋ many more devices (10x-100x)
₋ very long battery lifetimes (> 5Y)
₋ low-cost devices (< 1€)
₋ small payloads (few bytes)
₋ fast setup (few 10’s ms)
₋ low latency (< 1 ms)
₋ what else?
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

7. Challenges (tomorrow)
Safety-critical domains
Smart grid / smart city
V2X communications
PPDR
High-speed train signalling
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

8. Challenges (tomorrow)
Mobile cloud-based apps
Bandwidth-intensive, e.g.:
₋ cloud storage
₋ SaaS
Latency-sensitive, e.g.:
₋ speech recognition
₋ tactile feedback
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

9. Challenges (tomorrow)
Video streaming
Bandwidth demand is skyrocketing
₋ 3DTV
₋ 4k resolution
₋ multi-angle
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

10. Requirements of some 5G
applications
Requirement
Very strict
Intermediate
Typical applications on
smart phones and
tablets, V2I
Relaxed
High bit-rate
Video equipments
(3DTV, real-time
streaming devices,
remote conference)
IoT, V2V
Fast mobility
Applications running on Everything else
smart phones and
tablets on the road,
V2V/I
Home and office
appliances, IoT (most)
High reliability
PPDR, IoT (some),
V2V/I
Everything else
--
Low latency
Game consoles, IoT
(some), V2V/I, PPDR
(some)
Web & mobile apps,
cloud computing
IoT (some)
Low energy
consumption
IoT devices (most)
Smart phones and
tablets
Cabled devices
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

11. ?
?
?
?
5G
Let’s innovate!
?

12. A few innovations...
…that could make it to a 5G network:
₋ Cloud RAN
₋ Software Defined Networking
₋ Network Function Virtualization
₋ Cooperative communications
₋ Flexible backhauling
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

13. Network architecture
today
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

14. C-RAN
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

15. D-RAN
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

16. SDN
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

17. NFV
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

18. Cooperative
communications
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

19. Flexible backhauling
5G
5G
OmniRAN?
Other?
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

20. Conclusions
One size fits all
Mash up of heterogeneous
5G
technologies
deployments
players
tailored to meet individual requirements
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

21. Acknowledgment
Radio Access and Spectrum (RAS)
FP7 - Future Networks Cluster
http://www.ict-ras.eu/
CROWD workshop - L’Aquila (Italy) - January 14, 2014 - Presenter: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.it

22. THANK YOU
FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
WELCOME