Next generation optical wireless communication: a comprehensive review
Abstract Next generation wireless networks are the need of the hour with reliable, high bandwidth, low Bit Error Rate (BER), high Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), large network capacity, etc. for a paradigm shift to all optical networks from the prevailing conventional electro optic network due to the various benefits of optical links such as enormous bandwidth and extremely low losses. This paper presents a primitive overview of the foregoing technologies and then move on to encapsulating the contemporary techniques to enhance the system performance. For this, preceding limitation and their respective improvement measures from literature of fiber communication and its integration with the next generation networks mainly based upon Radio over Fiber (RoF), Fiber to the Home (FTTH) and Free Space Optics (FSO) are discussed. The advancement in the domain of optical wireless communication utilizing various methodologies is summarized. Finally, we conclude by incorporating various cost reduction methodologies developed which may further be explored to make next generation networks more promising.