EU COST Action on future generation optical wireless communication technologies, 2nd White paper

TL;DR

This white paper discusses the potential of optical wireless communication (OWC) as a key technology for future 6G networks, emphasizing its applications in space, urban, and underwater environments to meet growing connectivity demands.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive overview of OWC's role in future wireless networks, highlighting new applications and integration strategies for 6G and beyond.

Findings

OWC can enable high-speed space-to-ground and satellite communications.

OWC is suitable for smart city, transportation, and underwater networks.

Hybrid OWC/RF systems can enhance wireless connectivity robustness.

Abstract

NEWFOCUS is an EU COST Action targeted at exploring radical solutions that could influence the design of future wireless networks. The project aims to address some of the challenges associated with optical wireless communication (OWC) and to establish it as a complementary technology to the radio frequency (RF)-based wireless systems in order to meet the demanding requirements of the fifth generation (5G) and the future sixth generation (6G) backhaul and access networks. Only 6G will be able to widely serve the exponential growth in connected devices (i.e., more than 500 billion) in 2030, real-time holographic communication, future virtual reality, etc. Space is emerging as the new frontier in 5 and 6G and beyond communication networks, where it offers high-speed wireless coverage to remote areas both in lands and sees. This activity is supported by the recent development of low-altitude Earth orbit satellite mega-constellations. The focus of this 2nd White Paper is on the use of OWC as an enabling technology for medium- and long-range links for deployment in (i) smart-cities and intelligent transportation systems; (ii) first- and last-mile access and backhaul/fronthaul wireless networks; (iii) hybrid free-space optics/RF adaptive wireless connections; (iv) space-to-ground, inter-satellite, ground-to-air, and air-to-air communications; and (v) underwater communications.