Millimeter-Wave Massive MIMO Communication for Future Wireless Systems: A Survey

Several enabling technologies are being explored for the fifth-generation (5G) mobile system era. The aim is to evolve a cellular network that remarkably pushes forward the limits of legacy mobile systems across all dimensions of performance metrics. One dominant technology that consistently features in the list of the 5G enablers is the millimeter-wave (mmWave) massive multiple-input-multiple-output (massive MIMO) system. It shows potentials to significantly raise user throughput, enhance spectral and energy efficiencies and increase the capacity of mobile networks using the joint capabilities of the huge available bandwidth in the mmWave frequency bands and high multiplexing gains achievable with massive antenna arrays. In this survey, we present the preliminary outcomes of extensive research on mmWave massive MIMO (as research on this subject is still in the exploratory phase) and highlight emerging trends together with their respective benefits, challenges, and proposed solutions. The survey spans broad areas in the field of wireless communications, and the objective is to point out current trends, evolving research issues and future directions on mmWave massive MIMO as a technology that will open up new frontiers of services and applications for next-generation cellular networks.