On November 30th 2023, an important ETSI ISG F5G Group Report was released. The title of the report is “Fifth Generation Fixed Network (F5G); F5G Advanced Generation Definition” [ETSI GR F5G 021]. This is the first report for the F5G Advanced generation in Release 3. The publication of the ETSI GR F5G 021 is a significant milestone for ISG F5G, which is steadily evolving from F5G to F5G Advanced.

Six dimensions of F5G Advanced with enabling technologies characteristics

The ETSI GR F5G 021 explores the driving forces and the evolutionary path of fixed network from F5G to F5G Advanced. It also introduces six dimensions that characterize F5G Advanced, enabling to meet the requirements of the emerging services. Three of these dimensions were already specified for F5G and are enhanced for F5G Advanced, while the other three are newly introduced for F5G Advanced.

Enhanced dimensions are:

• Enhanced Fibre Broadband (eFBB)
• Full Fibre Connection (FFC)
• Guaranteed Reliable Experience (GRE)

Additional dimensions are:

• Green Agile Optical network (GAO)
• Real time Resilient Link (RRL)
• Optical Sensing and Visualization (OSV)

The ETSI GR F5G 021 also addresses the key enabling technologies for these six dimensions, such as 800G, fgOTN, OXC, 50G PON, 10Gbps FTTR, smart optical sensing, Autonomous Network Level 4 and so on. These enabling technologies provide 10x higher bandwidth, 10x fibre connections density, 10x better reliability, 10x better energy efficiency, sensing with 1m accuracy, <1 ms latency, and autonomous networking level 4, comparing with F5G.

F5G Advanced will open new opportunities by comprehensively applying fibre and optical technology to various network scenarios and expanding the reach of fibre to everything and everywhere. This will benefit all industry verticals (e.g. telecom, education, healthcare, finance, energy, transportation and manufacturing).

The specification of various F5G Advanced features is ongoing and will be publish during 2024 and following. For interested parties it is the right time to engage and drive the future of optical communication.