Fronthauling for 5G LTE-U Ultra Dense Cloud Small Cell Networks

Ultra dense cloud small cell network (UDCSNet), which combines cloud computing and massive deployment of small cells, is a promising technology for 5G LTE-U mobile communications because it can accommodate the anticipated explosive growth of mobile users’ data traffic. As a result, fronthauling becomes a challenging problem in 5G LTE-U UDCSNet. In this article, we present an overview of the challenges and requirements of the fronthaul technology in 5G LTE-U UDCSNets. We survey the advantages and challenges for various candidate fronthaul technologies such as optical fiber, millimeter- wave-based unlicensed spectrum, Wi-Fibased unlicensed spectrum, sub-6-GHz-based licensed spectrum, and free-space optical-based unlicensed spectrum.