Millimeter-wave mobile communications for 5G: Challenges and opportunities

The bandwidth shortage experienced by wireless communication has motivated the use of the under-utilized millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum for future 5G broadband mobile communication networks. Successful deployment of mmWave mobile communication systems requires sufficient knowledge of the mmWave propagation channel. This paper discusses the characteristics of the mmWave propagation channel, and highlights the main challenges, solutions and benefits associated with the use of mmWaves. The paper also discusses some open research topics that are crucial for the development of 5G mmWave mobile communications.