Review of 5G Enabling Technologies and Backhauling Strategies

Abstract

The exponential growth in the demand for data has given birth to the fifth generation (5G) of cellular network. 5G promises massive network capacity, greater bandwidth and negligible latency, which make it very much suitable for 5G requirements like Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication (uRLLC) and Massive Machine-Type Communication (mMTC). An enabling technique for the realization of 5G network is densification, which sees a lot of small cells deployed in its area of coverage. One way of linking or backhauling these small cells with the core network is through the millimeter-wave spectrum. This is the leading wireless technology for forwarding 5G traffic and especially in urban areas owing to its enormous spectrum availability. Research shows that small cells can be connected in either star or mesh topology for millimeter-wave backhauling, however, this research work will not only review the 5G enabling technologies and compare these topologies, but also propose a topology that prioritizes energy efficiency.