Future Evolution in Wireless Network Architectures: Towards a ´Cloud of Antennas´

This paper highlights the significant evolutionary potential in wireless communication networks, taking account of falling costs of RF hardware and increasing availability of powerful centralized signal processing. This so-called ´cloud of antennas´ allows a central radio controller to manage a large number of remote antennas (RAs) with increasing control over their radio and radio access network behavior. By introducing autonomous terminal reporting and coordination of broadcast signaling over many RAs, the concepts of a self-organizing, and terminal-centric network are described. These could lead to significantly improved flexibility in the network deployment, reduced downlink transmit power, and reduced control signaling load for the ordinary management of the terminals. The CoA is also compared with other approaches currently being researched.