Beamforming-as-a-Service for Multicast and Broadcast Services in 5G Systems and Beyond

Driven by the most advanced technologies, such as massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), 3D beamforming, Software-Defined Networking, and network slicing, 5G/6G systems support radio connections and end-to-end network connectivity at ultrahigh speeds, low latency, high reliability, and massive connectivity. 5G/6G networks promise a faster, more streamlined future for broadcasters. It can handle rapid changes, along with improved quality standards in broadcasting. However, broadcasting services are becoming increasingly distributed and prevalent; thus, how to effectively provide broadcast services to end users has recently become a natural concern. In this paper, we propose a novel concept of Beamforming-as-a-Service (BFaaS) for delivering multicast and broadcast services in 5G/6G networks. We first comprehensively overview and study background standards and industrial activities through broadcast projects that have been carried over 5G platforms. Then, we shed light on the requirements of providing multicast and broadcast services to end users and the importance of beamforming in delivering multicast and broadcast services in 5G/6G networks. From this point, we define the BFaaS concept and vision and the benefits of the proposed BFaaS scheme. Next, we discuss the beam generation process, beamforming control and the channel model which is used in the proposed system model analysis. As a step further, with the proposed system model, we propose optimal algorithms for allocating beams to different service areas. The simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed BFaaS scheme. Finally, we summarize the paper by identifying the potential areas of application of BFaaS for future research directions.