Convergence of multiple access technologies is one of the key enablers in providing diverse set of services to the Fifth Generation (5G) users. Though 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 5G standard defines a common core supporting multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs), Radio Access Network (RAN) level decisions are taken separately across individual RATs as the existing 5G architecture lacks a unified control and management framework for a multi-RAT network. A unified access network is likely to utilize RAN resources more efficiently and provide an improved performance. In order to achieve a unified Multi-RAT RAN, we supplement the existing 3GPP 5G RAN architecture with OpenFlow. We refer to the proposed architecture as 5G-Flow. The proposed architecture can be viewed as a step towards further evolution of mobile networks beyond 5G. With minimal changes in the 3GPP 5G RAN and none in the core network, we are able to realize a unified and integrated multi-access 5G-Flow RAN. We simplify the existing 5G RAN by replacing RAN nodes with OpenFlow switches and a software-defined controller. The proposed architecture also allows us to completely decouple User Equipment's (UE's) communication with Core Network (CN) from its communication with RAN enabling a UE to use any RAT to connect to any CN (say, use 5G New Radio access to connect to 4G CN, which is not possible in the 3GPP architecture) or to directly connect to Internet from RAN without going via the CN. We have developed an evaluation platform to compare the performance of our proposal with the standard 3GPP architecture. Results demonstrate significant gains in the network performance of 5G-Flow RAN over the existing 3GPP 5G network.

The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) network employs Software Defined Networking (SDN) paradigm allowing for a clear separation of control and data plane functionalities. However, the control plane in a 5G network not only performs network control tasks involving control and management of data plane functions but is also responsible for executing UE-specific control tasks. We think these two tasks are independent of each other and present 5G-Serv, a new architecture for 5G and beyond mobile networks. The paper presents a preliminary analysis and evaluation of the proposed architecture through flow diagrams. As demonstrated, 5G-Serv simplifies the information flow in the 5G network and enhances its modularity and flexibility. The architecture may also be better aligned with the standard SDN paradigm vis-a-vis the 3GPP architecture.

Convergence of multiple access technologies is one of the key enablers in providing a diverse set of services to the Fifth Generation (5G) users. Though the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 5G standard defines a common core supporting multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs), Radio Access Network (RAN) level decisions are taken separately across individual RATs as the existing 5G architecture lacks a unified control and management framework for a multi-RAT network. A unified access network is likely to utilize RAN resources more efficiently and provide an improved performance. To bridge these gaps, we present an OpenFlow based RAN architecture comprising multiple RATs. We refer to it as 5G-Flow. With minimal changes in the 3GPP 5G RAN and none in the core network, we are able to realize a unified and integrated multi-access 5G-Flow RAN. We simplify the existing 3GPP 5G RAN by replacing RAN nodes with OpenFlow switches and a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) controller. Moreover, a UE in the 5G-Flow network can use 5G RAN to connect to any core network (4G or 5G) or directly connect to Internet without going via the core network. We also present a simple method to realize 5G non-standalone architecture using 5G-Flow RAN. We have developed an evaluation platform to compare the performance of our architecture with the standard 3GPP 5G network. Results demonstrate significant gains in the network performance of 5G-Flow RAN architecture over the existing 3GPP 5G network.

This article adopts a holistic approach to address the problem of poor broadband connectivity in rural areas by suggesting a novel wireless network architecture, also called the "Frugal 5G Network". To arrive at the Frugal 5G Network architecture, we take into consideration the rural connectivity needs and the characteristics specific to rural areas. As part of the proposed Frugal 5G Network, we define a heterogeneous Access Network wherein macro cells provide a carpet coverage while Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) provide additional capacity to serve the village clusters. WLAN is backhauled via a wireless network also called the wireless middle mile network. We define a Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) based architecture to make the network flexible and scalable. The concepts of Fog computing have also been employed in the network architecture to bring intelligence to the edge, i.e., to the access network. Through a novel amalgamation of these technologies, we are able to address the connectivity requirements of rural areas. The proposed network architecture can serve as a potential solution towards IEEE P2061, a standardization project that aims to design an architecture to facilitate rural broadband communication.

The technology advances in 5G are urban in nature and have a larger focus on high data rates, very low latency, and very high-speed mobility. Amidst this, the issues such as coverage and affordability are likely to persist which will widen the rural-urban divide even further. The connectivity needs of rural areas call for an affordable broadband network which can be accomplished if we design a low mobility energy-efficient network. We refer to such a network as the Frugal 5G network. Deployment of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Access Points (APs) is a cost-effective method to provide high-speed low mobility coverage to rural areas. Backhauling the WLAN APs is a challenging task as fiber backhaul is generally unavailable in rural areas. We suggest a method to design the wireless backhaul network in order to serve the WLAN APs. The design objective is to maximize system performance with respect to network throughput and delay while reducing infrastructure utilization. We propose a backhaul design method based on Simulated Annealing (SA) to achieve our objective. Our analysis shows that the proposed algorithm enhances the backhaul network throughput by 24% while minimizing the infrastructure used.

In order to make effective use of the Internet, broadband connectivity is a pre-requisite. However, in the majority of rural areas in developing countries, high-speed connectivity is unavailable. The Frugal 5G network architecture presented in this paper aims at enabling broadband in rural areas by addressing the challenges associated with it. The work presented in this paper is a development over our previous work, in which we proposed abstract network architecture for Frugal 5G. In this paper, we provide an innovative solution to realize the Frugal 5G network. We identify the key system requirements and show that the proposed solution enables an uncomplicated and flexible realization of the Frugal 5G network. We are currently building a testbed to implement the proposed changes.

There is an ongoing transition from the fourth generation (4G) cellular standard to the fifth generation (5G). Amidst this transition, addressing the connectivity needs of rural areas is still a distant dream. In this article, we discuss the connectivity requirements of rural areas and also present a network architecture based on these requirements. Low energy, low mobility, and large cell are the key aspects when designing a broadband network for rural areas. We refer to this network as the Frugal 5G network. We discuss two testbeds that we have deployed in India based on the Frugal 5G network architecture. The first testbed spanning 7 villages studies the feasibility of providing high-speed connectivity to rural areas via TV UHF band. The second testbed has been scaled up to 25 villages and studies the feasibility of connecting the rural areas by employing IEEE 802.11 (5.8 GHz) technology. Deploying such a large scale network requires efficient planning which is also discussed in the paper. Sustainability of the rural broadband network is an important issue and has been addressed by proposing a multi-stakeholder partnership model. Insights obtained from these testbed deployments suggest that for connectivity to be sustainable, network planning, use of renewable energy, local support & community participation, and efficient business model are the cornerstones that should be adhered to.

In spite of the spectacular growth in internet usage, a staggering 47% of the global population is still unconnected. In Indian context, there are only 159 million broadband subscribers in a population of about 1.34 billion. The rural scenario is even worse. The fiber connectivity reaches only at designated points in the vicinity of the rural areas leaving a large part still unserved. Thus, we propose wireless solution based on TV White Space as a potential option to provide connectivity in the unserved rural areas. In addition to providing an efficient technology solution, it is important to ensure that there is a sustainable return-on-investment for the service provider and an affordable subscription price for the end user. For this, we propose a model which ensures active involvement of villagers who will eventually promote and sustain the broadband.

Rural areas in the developing countries are predominantly devoid of Internet access as it is not viable for operators to provide broadband service in these areas. To solve this problem, we propose a middle mile Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) network operating in TV white space to connect villages to an optical Point of Presence (PoP) located in the vicinity of a rural area. We study the problem of spectrum sharing for the middle mile networks deployed by multiple operators. A graph theory based Fairness Constrained Channel Allocation (FCCA) algorithm is proposed, employing Carrier Aggregation (CA) and Listen Before Talk (LBT) features of LTE-A. We perform extensive system level simulations to demonstrate that FCCA not only increases spectral efficiency but also improves system fairness.

A significant barrier in providing affordable rural broadband is to connect the rural and remote places to the optical Point of Presence (PoP) over distances of few kilometers. A lot of work has been done in the area of long distance Wi-Fi networks. However, these networks require tall towers and high gain (directional) antennas. Also, they work in the unlicensed band which has Effective Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) limit (e.g. 1 W in India) which restricts the network design. In this work, we propose a Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) network operating in TV UHF to connect the remote areas to the optical PoP. In India, around 100 MHz of TV UHF band IV (470-585 MHz) is unused at any location and can be put to an effective use in these areas. We explore the idea of multi-hop topology for the proposed network. We also compare the performance of the multi-hop network with the Point to Multipoint (PMP) topology. The results show that multi-hop network performs much better than the PMP network. We then formulate a Linear Programming (LP) problem of generating optimal topology and compare its performance with the multi-hop network. Overall, the analysis implies that an optimally planned LTE-A network in TV UHF band can be a potential solution for affordable rural broadband.

This is the preview of the book “Community Networks: the Internet by the People for the People,” which is the Official 2017 Outcome of the UN IGF Dynamic Coalition on Community Connectivity (DC3). DC3 is a multistakeholder group aimed at fostering a cooperative analysis of the community network model, exploring how such networks may be used to foster sustainable Internet connectivity while empowering Internet users. DC3 provides a shared platform involving all interested individuals and institutions into a multistakeholder analysis of community connectivity issues. This book should be seen as a further step towards a better understanding of community networking and is built upon the previous efforts of the DC3.

One of the major impediments to providing broadband connectivity in semi-urban and rural India is the lack of robust and affordable backhaul. Fiber connectivity in terms of backhaul that is being planned (or provided) by the Government of India would reach only up to the rural offices (called Gram Panchayat) in Indian villages. In this exposition, we articulate how TV white space can address the challenge in providing broadband connectivity to a billion plus population within India. The villages can form local Wi-Fi clusters. The problem of connecting the Wi-Fi clusters to the optical fiber points can be addressed using a TV white space based backhaul (middle mile) network. The amount of TV white space present in India is very large when compared to the developed world. Therefore, we discuss a backhaul architecture for rural India that utilizes TV white spaces. We also present results from our TV white space testbed that support the effectiveness of backhaul by using TV white spaces. Our testbed provides a broadband access network to rural populations in seven villages. The testbed is deployed over an area of 25 km(2), and extends seamless broadband connectivity from optical fiber locations or Internet gateways to remote (difficult to connect) rural regions. We also discuss standards and TV white space regulations, which are pertinent to the backhaul architecture mentioned above.