Device-to-Device communications over 5G systems: Standardization, challenges and open issues

Abstract

This chapter deals with a comprehensive analysis of the challenges behind the introduction of Device-to-Device (D2D) communications in the context of 5th Generation (5G) communications. In fact, although D2D communications have emerged as an efficient solution for local traffic between mobile User Equipments (UEs) in proximity in cellular environments, has recently also attracted attention as a key enabling technology for 5G wireless networks. In details, this chapter addresses an overview of the current standardization, its integration in the cellular system architecture, future challenges and open issues. This chapter also provides a performance analysis, which illustrates the important achievements in terms of data rate in a scenario where the proximity communications between devices in an LTE-A system has been introduced for multicast downloading services.