Publications

Abstract : Current trends indicate that 5G network deployment is gaining traction around the world; this paradigm shift is expected to deliver gigabit connectivity and wide-ranging services to its subscribers. These benefits, however, are currently restricted to users in metropolitan cities. Expansion of these services to rural areas is hindered by the lack of economic incentives for providers, forcing remote populations to use legacy pre-5G technologies. The key features of 5G include small cells, low-cost radio access points, energy-efficient data centers, and low footprint dedicated networks. The impact of these features in an urban context has been widely discussed, but they also have immense potential to serve the unique and differentiated needs of rural communities, servicing quality-of-life improvements through precision agriculture, augmented reality telemedicine, and reliable disaster support. These critical services can be realized through dedicated spectrum allocation by regulating authorities, and the regionalization lowers costs, allowing for rapid deployment of 5G local networks. In this scenario, the interplay between local community networks and public mobile networks is of paramount importance. The roles of reference design, system architecture, and effective smart contracts in the creation of sustainable communication infrastructure have been outlined in this paper. Disaggregated radio access network (Open RAN) and blockchain have been integrated into the framework, allowing rapid, end-to-end secure data communication. The use of network slicing and effective co-operation between local community networks and mobile network operators, together with the elucidated framework, enable efficient, privacy-conscious networking which can be relied upon for the delivery of critical services.