Sustainable Communication Technologies for the 2020s: Fifth Generation (5G) and Beyond

在5G保护伞下及以后设想的下一代电信网络预计将通过支持由各种新应用驱动的数据流量的至少1000倍增长来创建当前LTE/LTE-A系统的范式转变。新兴的物联网（IoT）有望将人们与几乎任何远程设备连接起来，预计将在这一增长中发挥重要作用。在支持这些要求时，可持续性将成为一个关键问题，因为通信部门消耗的能源已经留下了大量的碳足迹。** 我们建议在具有软件定义网络功能的基于云的无线电接入网络（C-RAN）架构下，利用5G技术使能器（如MIMO、全双工、毫米波、认知和能量收集无线电），为21世纪20年代开发可持续的通信技术。其动机是将5G技术与云计算和智能电网功能互连，以满足5G及更高的服务需求。虽然这些技术非常有前途，但从可持续性的角度来看，它们的统一操作带来了许多尚未探索的挑战，即灵活性，交叉兼容性，能源效率和系统复杂性。该研究计划将通过开发新的架构增强、网络协议、分析模型和优化技术，为5G及以后的可持续技术设计做出根本性贡献。一个可持续的混合C-RAN架构与智能能源管理和合作技术将被设计，结合合适的节能资源分配策略和频谱管理技术。还将开发适当的双工模式、信号波形和多址方案，以解决灵活性问题。因此，5G及以后带来的可持续性问题将得到直接解决。该研究项目的新奇在于其专注于开发长期可持续的通信技术。其结果将对电信行业的未来产生重大影响，支持5G系统及其他系统的服务期望，同时最大限度地减少其全球碳足迹。该研究计划还将为研究生提供一个宝贵的培训机会，在尖端通信技术。

Next-generation telecommunication networks, envisioned under the 5G umbrella and beyond, are expected to create a paradigm shift over current LTE/LTE-A systems by supporting at least a 1000-fold increase in data traffic, driven by a diverse set of new applications. The emerging Internet-of-Things (IoT), which promises to connect people to almost anything remotely, is expected to play a major role in this increase. In supporting these requirements, sustainability will become a critical concern, as the energy consumed by the communications sector already leaves a significant carbon footprint. ******We propose to develop sustainable communication technologies for the 2020s by leveraging 5G technology enablers, such as massive-MIMO, full-duplex, millimeter-wave, cognitive and energy-harvesting radio, under a cloud-based radio access network (C-RAN) architecture with software-defined network capabilities. The motivation is to interconnect 5G technologies with cloud computing and smart grid functionalities in order to meet the service requirements of 5G and beyond. Although these technologies are very promising, their operation in unison poses many unexplored challenges from the sustainability perspective, namely flexibility, cross-compatibility, energy-efficiency, and system complexity.******This research program will make fundamental contributions to the design of sustainable technologies for 5G and beyond, by developing novel architectural enhancements, network protocols, analytical models, and optimization techniques. A sustainable hybrid C-RAN architecture with smart energy management and cooperation techniques will be designed, incorporating suitable energy-efficient resource allocation strategies and spectrum management techniques. Appropriate duplex modes, signal waveforms, and multiple access schemes will also be developed to address flexibility concerns. The sustainability concerns posed by 5G and beyond will thereby be directly addressed.******The novelty of this research program lies in its focus on developing long-term sustainable communication technologies. Its outcome will have a significant impact on the future of the telecommunications industry by supporting the service expectations of 5G systems and beyond, while minimizing their global carbon footprint. The research program will also provide an invaluable training opportunity for graduate students in cutting-edge communications technologies.***********