FiWi access networks: Future research challenges and moonshot perspectives

Global cellular networks are currently undergoing a major paradigm shift to cope with the unprecedented growth of mobile data traffic driven by the popularity of smart phones and mobile-connected tablets running diverse data-centric applications. In fiber-wireless (FiWi) enhanced LTE-Advanced heterogeneous networks (HetNets), the traditional barriers between coverage-centric mobile networks and capacity-centric FiWi broadband access networks may be removed in order to benefit from fiber backhaul sharing and WiFi offloading. In this paper, we elaborate on emerging trends, identify open key research challenges to unleash the full potential of FiWi enhanced LTE-Advanced HetNets, including their future convergence with other technologies and economic sectors, and attempt to make an educated guess about possible moonshot perspectives for future non-incremental FiWi research.