Recent Developments and Future Challenges in Channel Measurements and Models for 5G and Beyond High-Speed Train Communication Systems

The fast developments of high-speed train (HST) and growing communication demands of users pose new challenges for HST communication systems. To provide reliable communication services, key 5G communication technologies, such as millimeter-wave (mmWave) and massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), and potential architectures, such as coordinated multipoint and mobile relay station, are considered in future railway communications. New technologies and architectures will bring new channel propagation characteristics. Accurate channel models that can capture these channel characteristics play a critical role in the design and test of future railway communication systems. This article reviews the HST channel measurements conducted in different scenarios and frequency bands, and the advanced HST channel models. Then a novel HST channel model incorporating the mmWave and massive MIMO propagation characteristics is presented, and its frequency non-stationarity is analyzed. Finally, some future directions are discussed.