5G - From Microcells to Attocells: RF and Optical Wireless Mobile Backhauls

This report is about Small Cells (SCs), their applications, the industry and marketing and technological developments. As an integral part of SC, backhaul solutions are detailed. Specifics of microwave backhauls are analyzed and their advantages are emphasized. The report also introducing a relatively new group of technologies for SC backhauling: OWC - Optical Wireless Communications; and particular Free Space Fiber (FSF) and VLC/LiFi- Visible Light Communications/Light Fidelity, which guarantee extremely low latency and “unlimited” bandwidth. A hybrid solution - FSF/LiFi - is also coming to the picture to enhance SC backhauls.

In particular, the report analyzing dynamically evolving small cells technologies, concentrating on their advantages, varieties and specifics. Major applications are analyzed; and standardization developments are emphasized. Based on the in-depth industry analysis of multiple studies and interviews with vendors, market prognoses (2024-2028) are presented. The survey of more than thirty-five small cell equipment vendors and their portfolios is also provided. It is shown that 4G mobile technologies (concurrent with 5G) will concentrate on building HetNets in which small cells play an important role.

The report emphasizes that the small cells backhaul solution may prove or break the small cell business case. Specifics of small cells backhauls, their varieties and differences from macro cells backhauls are analyzed in details. The need for standardization is emphasized. The study of industry trends, interviews with vendors and the analysis of publicly available statistical data helped to perform the marketing analysis. The survey of vendors (about 30 manufacturers of small cells backhaul solutions) reflects this industry specifics and trends. There is a range of use cases for open access small cells, from targeted demand hotspots in city centers, through generalized capacity uplift, to serving not-spots in remote rural areas. In each case the emphasis on backhaul requirements shifts and aspects that are critical to one type of deployment can be relaxed in others. Solutions with different characteristics will address the needs of different types of small cells backhaul in different areas.

Fiber and microwave are complementary technologies with different use cases. Microwave backhaul allows for a faster and more cost-efficient rollout compared with fiber while fiber offers greater capacities. In a positive development, more countries have been making the E-band available for microwave backhaul.

Microwave is the preferred solution for long-distance transfers. It is also the better choice in countries where regulatory problems complicate fiber rollouts, such as India or Egypt.

Wireless backhauls for SCs are prevailing now and it is expected that they will keep this leadership position in future.

This report also provides details of optical wireless backhauls that bringing multiple enhancements. Two Optical Wireless Communications subclasses - Visible Light Communications/Light Fidelity (VLC/LiFi) and Free Space Fiber (FSF) are addressed. Attocell-based networks allow to build super-dense structures, which characteristics are superior to RF-based networks in many aspects

This report provides SCs and their backhaul solutions technological and marketing analysis. It can be useful for service providers, vendors, network operators and managers, Enterprise IT staff, investors and end users seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the SC developmental trends in the mobile industry.

The end users will gain a more thorough understanding of technologies and their capabilities as well as economics.