5G Wireless Transport in a PON Context: An Overview
Jun Shan Wey, Yuanqiu Luo, Thomas Pfeiffer
Abstract
The high capacity of future 5G wireless networks must be supported by equivalent high-capacity fixed networks for backhaul and fronthaul (x-haul) transport. Especially the trend toward densification of radio networks, in which many small cells are located next to macrocells, will call for cost-efficient x-haul solutions to meet the overall business case targets. Optical access technologies bear great potential to offer low-cost solutions for these x-haul transport links. Starting from requirements on bandwidth, latency, and other critical parameters of 5G x-haul transport networks, ITU-T Q2/SG15 has elaborated a generic approach on how to employ PON technologies in various functional split architectures of wireless networks. The proposed PON architectures are presented and discussed in the recently released supplementary document G.Sup66, "5G Wireless Fronthaul Requirements in a PON Context," in October 2018. This article provides a high-level summary of the findings in Supplement G.Sup66.