Coordinated networks: Past, present and future

Wireless communication, like any other technology, is driven by the ever-increasing user requirements. Evolving from basic text and voice services, the current communication networks are capable of providing extremely high data rates with low latency and strict reliability. The diversity in user and application requirements is reflected in the various technologies being considered for enabling future networks. Some of these well-established enablers include small cells, millimeter-wave (mmWave) communications, full-duplex systems, massive multiple-input multiple-output (mMIMO) antenna systems, beamforming and more adaptive physical layer (PHY) and medium access control layer designs [1].