Thunderbolt-3 Backbone for Augmented 5G Network Slicing in Cloud-Radio Access Networks

As the concept of virtualized SDN-enabled cloud radio access networks (C-RANs) paves the way towards the emerging 5G platforms, in parallel, the current available technologies can supplement the progression and open new doors towards establishing a cost-efficient and highly robust 5G infrastructure. According to that, in this work we propose a solution that consists of a Thunderbolt-3 networking between the locally deployed 5G base station and the core network that allows higher capacity and refutes the necessity for fiber networking with more expensive NICs, transceivers and single-mode/multi-mode cables. Analogously, the serving site can accommodate thus more users and enable provisioning of multiple high-bandwidth network slices. In addition, the cost-effectiveness of this approach can allow operators and small businesses, as well as individual users, to deploy own 5G Remote Radio Heads in their own datacenters with distributed antenna systems, consolidating the fronthaul interfaces between the baseband processing and the radio frontend.