Design and Analysis of High-Speed Free Space Optical (FSO) Communication System for Supporting Fifth Generation (5G) Data Services in Diverse Geographical Locations of India

Abstract

Free space optical (FSO) communication has established a reputation for itself as a next-generation network capable of delivering high-speed data services. In light of the upcoming launch of 5G services, this paper aims to evaluate the performance of the FSO system for the implementation of 5G technology in diverse geographical locations of India. The proposed 16 × 10 Gbps wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) based FSO link uses orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and digital signal processing (DSP) module to mitigate channel-induced limitations. Additionally, the proposed FSO design also employs Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) with optimized gain characteristics. Using the data sourced from the Meteorological Department of India, the link analysis reveals that due to weak fog events in coastal areas effective link range of up to 10.75 km can be achieved while maintaining bit error rate of 10-9. Despite dominant foggy conditions in hilly, plains and desert areas, the proposed FSO link significantly limits the degrading effects of channel. Hence, in pursuit of futuristic smart city models, a heterogeneous combination of FSO and 5G infrastructure can conveniently cover diverse geographical locations of India to support high-speed data connectivity.