Secure Virtual Mobile Small Cells: A Stepping Stone Towards 6G

TL;DR

This paper proposes a virtual mobile small cell architecture leveraging NFV and SDN to extend 6G connectivity, enabling on-demand, localized, and reliable wireless communication with reduced latency and overhead.

Contribution

It introduces a novel MSC architecture for 6G that utilizes virtualization and SDN/NFV to create flexible, on-demand wireless cells for improved coverage and efficiency.

Findings

MSC architecture enhances cell offloading efficiency

Reduces protocol signaling latency and overhead

Supports localized, ubiquitous connectivity

Abstract

As 5th Generation research reaches the twilight, the research community must go beyond 5G and look towards the 2030 connectivity landscape, namely 6G. In this context, this work takes a step towards the 6G vision by proposing a next generation communication platform, which aims to extend the rigid coverage area of fixed deployment networks by considering virtual mobile small cells (MSC) that are created on demand. Relying on emerging computing paradigms such as NFV (Network Function Virtualization) and SDN (Software Defined Networking), these cells can harness radio and networking capability locally reducing protocol signaling latency and overhead. These MSCs constitute an intelligent pool of networking resources that can collaborate to form a wireless network of MSCs providing a communication platform for localized, ubiquitous and reliable connectivity. The technology enablers for implementing the MSC concept are also addressed in terms of virtualization, lightweight wireless security, and energy efficient RF. The benefits of the MSC architecture towards reliable and efficient cell offloading are demonstrated as a use-case.