Topics of interest:The topics of interest for the workshop include, but are not limited to:

Requirements and limitations for backhaul/fronthaul communications and networking (data rate, scalability, latency, cost effectiveness, etc.)

Backhaul/fronthaul design and their capabilities for multi-tier ultra-dense heterogeneous small cell networks
Hybrid backhaul/fronthaul solutions (wired/wireless, point-to-point (PtP)/Point-to-Multi-Point (PtMP), line-of-sight (LOS)/Non-line-of-sight (NLOS), etc.)
PtP wireless backhaul/fronthaul interfaces for high data rate demanding links (LOS communications, multi-hop communications, e.g., FSO/Microwave based communications)
Synchronization approaches and latency issues to combat delays introduced in backhaul/fronthaul operations
Backhaul/fronthaul design requirements for rural and sparsely populated area

Networked flying platform (NFPs such as HAPs/MAPs/LAPs, unmanned balloons and airships, etc.) enabled backhaul/fronthaul design for ultra-dense and sparsely populated areas
Massive MIMO based backhaul/fronthaul for ultra-dense small cell deployment
Backhaul/fronthaul relaxation in heterogeneous networks including traffic offloading and data caching
Joint design and optimization of radio access and backhaul/fronthaul networks
Green backhaul/fronthaul solutions and energy consumption models for new backhaul/fronthaul technologies
Software-defined radio/Cognitive radio based backhaul/fronthaul designs
Migration to IP based backhaul/fronthaul design for 5G networks

Usability of higher frequency bands for backhaul/fronthaul design (Free Space Optical (FSO)/mm-wave based communications)
Scheduling techniques and radio resource management (RRM) in backhaul/fronthaul networks
Orchestration of in-band and out-of-band frequency usage for backhaul/fronthaul
Fronthaul issues over unlicensed frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 60 GHz (WiGig))
Interference management in wireless backhaul/fronthaul networks, e.g., Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP), Cloud Radio Access Networks (CRAN), and Split frame architectures.

Backhaul/fronthaul convergence and application driven business models for commercial/regulatory deployments
Comparative case studies with legacy backhaul networks
Mobile backhaul/fronthaul standards and its implementation
Regulatory and policy issues for backhaul/fronthaul communications
Backhaul as a Service (BaaS) and self-organised heterogeneous backhaul

Muhammad Zeeshan Shakir – University of the West of Scotland, UK, Email:Muhammad.Shakir@uws.ac.uk
Muhammad Ali Imran – University of Glasgow, UK, Email: Muhammad.Imran@glasgow.ac.uk
Walid Saad – Virginia Tech, US, Email: saad.walid@gmail.com
Syed Ali Raza Zaidi – University of Leeds, UK, eenarz@leeds.ac.uk
Ekram Hossain, University of Manitoba, Canada, Email: Ekram.Hossain@umanitoba.ca
Hesham ElBakoury – Huawei, US, Email: Hesham.ElBakoury@huawei.com