On designing next generation MAC for cellular networks using the FLAVIA paradigm

Abstract

Implementing a flexible and modular architecture for scheduled systems will speed-up the deployment of novel and adjustable MACs for cellular systems. Such an architecture will be of great benefit for researchers, vendors and operators by enabling off-the-shelf devices to be used for testing modified MACs, by allowing fast upgrade of existing devices, and by drastically reducing the time-to-market of MAC products, which ultimately turns into enhanced services for the users. In this paper, we show how the architecture proposed in the FLAVIA project can enable the paradigm shift towards open, modular and flexible scheduled MAC architectures, thus allowing cellular operators to use up-to-date research results to augment and promptly update the capabilities of the cellular network by creating and instantiating MAC services.