Centralised versus distributed radio access networks: Wireless integration into long reach passive optical networks

In this paper, we evaluate the cost of wireless integration into an architecture based on long reach passive optical networks (LR-PON). We will demonstrate that including backhaul or fronthaul signals from antenna sites into existing LR-PON structures deployed for wired customers requires only marginal additional resources. We will also show that scenarios with remote radio heads and centralised base band units outperform distributed radio access networks mainly because of operational cost savings.