In two recent presentations, I have looked at the role of C-RAN in facilitating both small cells deployments and the adoption of RAN virtualization. These are the preliminary results of my work on C-RAN and would love to hear your views on this.
With C-RAN architectures -- ranging from DAS to V-RAN -- operators can manage interference and traffic in HetNets with small cells more effectively. Operators who have to use co-channel deployments in which the macro and small cell layers share the spectrum are wary of deploying small cells unless they can keep interference under control. As the assumption that fiber front haul is necessary to support a C-RAN architecture is being challenged, the success of C-RAN and small cells becomes increasingly tied.
At the same time, C-RAN architectures -- and there is an interesting variety of them -- gradually enable operators to move towards RAN virtualization. In greenfield deployments, there is already a trend towards RAN virtualization. For existing networks, the virtualization of the RAN is challenging and operators will proceed gradually.
Download the presentations:
The evolution to C-RAN and V-RAN to support indoor and outdoor HetNets (this presentation includes the results of a survey on C-RAN done in preparation of the RAN World conference in Dusseldorf on 20-21 January, where I will chair the C-RAN track)
Backhaul or fronthaul for small cells?
