Future Cellular Network Architecture

Small Cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 1.4 Future Evolved Core Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

1.4.1 Mobile SDN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 1.4.2 Network Virtualization in EPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1.5 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

The demand of wireless data traffic is explosively increasing [26] due to the in-

creasing popularity of smart phones and other mobile data devices such as tablets,

netbooks, and eBook readers among consumers and businesses. The fourth genera-

tion (4G) cellular technologies [15] including Long Term Evolution (LTE)-Advanced

and AdvancedMobileWiMAX (IEEE 802.16m) use traditional network architecture,

which has limitations. In order to meet this spectacular growth in mobile data traffic,

improvements in future cellular network architecture has been of paramount impor-

tance.