Analog radio-over-fiber for future mobile fronthaul (A-FRONTHAUL)

Important results from the project

A-FRONTHAUL project aims at realizing a practical and cost-effective implementation of a cell-free network using analog fronthaul optical interfaces allowing coherent joint transmissions (CJT). Such a goal has been successfully fulfilled by the consortium through developing and characterizing the essential algorithms for CJT, validating fulfillment of ARoF links for the 3GPP RF mandatory requirements, and demonstrating CJTs in an up to 4 transmission/reception points (TRxPs) D-MIMO network.

Expected long term effects

The consortium experimentally validated the feasibility of the CJT in D-MIMO networks enabled by ARoF. This is the first time that CJT is realized in an ARoF fronthaul where the delay difference between fronthaul links is larger than the signal CP length which is expected to happen in D-MIMO systems. ARoF is a prospective solution for many 6G development challenges, e.g., lower power consumption, precise synchronization, large bandwidths and greater flexibility in network design and deployment.

Approach and implementation

The Ericsson team developed, and characterized the essential algorithms needed to enable CJT, provided wireless transceivers and advanced electronic component prototypes and provided Architecture alternatives for ARoF D-MIMO systems. The II-VI and RISE team analyzed and validated optical transceiver specifications to support analog fronthaul. The whole consortium contributed to the system conformance testing and the proof-of-concept system demonstration of the D-MIMO system with ARoF links. II-VI could not deliver equipment but the activities were executed as planned.