Future network architectures for 5G and beyond: Virtualization, cloudification, densification

Recently cloud-RAN (CRAN) has been proposed to decouple digital units (DUs) and radio units (RUs) of base stations (BSs), and centralize DUs into a central office, where virtualization and cloud computing technologies are leveraged to move DUs in the “cloud”. By this way base stations become more affordable and radio networks can be densified to boost the capacity. 

Today, consensus is yet to be achieved on how the fronthaul traffic will be transported between RUs and DUs, and how virtualization of network resources will occur from radio network segment to the centralized baseband processing units. It is not about designing the communication systems but also about computing systems in the edge or centralized cloud. In this talk, a 5G mobile network architecture, called virtualized-CRAN (V-CRAN) will be presented, moving towards a cell-less 5G network architecture. The concept of a “virtualized-BS” (V-BS) that can be optimally formed by exploiting several enabling technologies such as software-defined radio (SDR) and Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) Transmission/Reception will be introduced. Virtual BSs can be formed dynamically as the user traffic moves in an area. The processing units can go to sleep together with the BSs and transport systems jointly in this energy and cost optimized system. Several use cases of V-CRAN are presented to show how network architecture evolution can enhance system throughput, energy efficiency, and mobility management.