Research topics and initial results for the fifth generation (5G) mobile network

The plethora of wireless devices resulting in a humongous data usage has already pushed the current mobile networks to their limit. Therefore the research and development of the next generation mobile network must take place now. In this regard a mobile network operator has a pivotal role in understanding the required performance of the coming fifth generation network, and also influencing its final design. This paper presents some network research topics seen from an operator's point of view. It provides an overview of some recent results within the following areas: network architecture utilizing network function virtualization and software defined networks, performance of deploying self-organized network functions, spectrum sharing, inter-cell interference reduction methods, and backhaul with gigabit radio links.