Technologies for convergence of fixed and mobile access: An operator's perspective [invited]

Carriers face the challenge of integrating their fixed and mobile infrastructures. In this paper we show the results of techno-economic assessment and quantify the structural convergence gain when applying a common transport platform in a FTTH and small-cell roll-out scenario. Furthermore, we discuss functional convergence, dealing with fixed mobile convergence architectures that are aimed at the combination of previously separated fixed and mobile networking functions such as authentication and data path management.