Wireless & Telecommunication

Biography

Biography: Ari Pouttu

Abstract

The 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems are expected to revolutionize everything seen so far in wireless systems. The requirements for 5G vary by application but will include data rates ranging from very low sensor data to very high video content delivery, stringent low latency requirements, low energy consumption, and high reliability. All of these technological requirements are expected to be achieved while keeping the same or lower cost than today's technologies. The application scenarios range from usual broadband mobile to machine-to-machine communications, real-time control with low latency and low data rate sensor networks with large number of nodes, to mention a few. There is general consensus that these goals cannot be met with one single technological solution. The next generation standard will contain a wide range of technology components that can be leveraged depending on time, place and needs. It is also quite evident that the next generation standard must be open enough to allow drastically new technologies not even known during the development phase. Depending on the expected time-frame for 5G roll-out, there are very different views on the 5G system concept. The World Radio communication Conference (WRC'15) was quite important in setting the directions towards the next standard. At WRC'15 new agenda items were suggested to the following WRC'19 event where final decisions on frequency allocations for 5G mobile systems will be made, thus highlighting the timeliness of our research agenda. The planned timeline for 5G system standardization (first standard ready around 2019) means that major innovations will be related to novel spectrum sharing schemes, network virtualization, densifications of cells and other new network architectures including M2M and moving networks. Thus, it is quite clear that air-interface will not play a major role in the first phase of 5G, but will become quite critical beyond 2020 once new spectrum allocations towards higher frequency bands have been made. Thus, the key driver in Oulu based 5G test network is to develop new small cell focused operator business models and innovations around the test network. The ultimate target is to actively look for new business potential in building and managing networks, providing content to customers of any operator and demonstrate various spectrum sharing schemes like licensed shared access and co-primary spectrum sharing in small cells networks. In the first phase (2015-2016), the access points will be commercially available small cell products. In the second phase (2016-2017), frequency variants of those will be installed as well as first 5G radio prototypes. Novel air-interface concepts shall be implemented in the third phase (2018-2019) if available. The planned size of the test network is ~100 LTE access points in the beginning. The 5G test network will cover University campus area, most likely select sites in Oulu city centrum (Oulu Ice hockey arena) or possibly a new residential housing area where various smart city concepts will be implemented. The 5G research and test environment (test network) shall be linked to theoretical 5G research and will provide the opportunity to validate theoretical results. It will enable the resolution of potentially opposing views on real life, network-level performance. It will constantly evolve, as research and standardization progress. Hence, technologies will be comprehensively verified before they are standardized and implemented. By 2020, the environment will have evolved into a full-scale 5G network, which will be provided as a living lab for application and service testing. The test network is a joint venture of CWC and companies such as Anite, EB, Eltel Networks, EXFO, Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), Haltian, Indalgo, MediaTek, Nokia, Pehutec, Pulse, Sarokal and research institute VTT. Project receives funding from Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (TEKES) and is endorsed by city of Oulu and Ficora – the national regulatory authority.