**1. Introduction**

Over the year, the number of connected devices (wirelessly and wired) is everincreasing, will reach 13 billion by 2023 [1]. To support these always-connected devices, the demand for high speed, high reliability, low-latency, low-cost, dense connectivity, different types of mobility needs, and heterogeneous connectivity is escalating, which forced the telecommunications industry to enter into a new era of the future communication network (FCN) [2]. Furthermore, to unleash the full potential of Industry 4.0, guaranteed real-time communication between humans, robots, factory logistics, and products is a fundamental requirement [3]. The FCN incorporates 5G and beyond 5G network, whose main objectives will be application/service-oriented, which are on-demand and highly heterogeneous in nature [4]. To support ever-increasing devices for application-specific on-demand services, there is a strong requirement to view, design, and optimize the network from an end-to-end perspective.

To supports ever-increasing demand on requirements for different types of usage, applications, services, several technologies have been developed over the year. **Table 1** describes the important milestones in both wireline and wireless communication. The development of wireline communication first started in copper and later shifted to the optical domain. In the present day, optical fiber is used in the backhaul network and copper wire is used normally in the access network. In the case of wireless communication, communication first started in the sub-GHz range and slowly it moves towards high-frequency ranges. In the latest, wireless communication is moving towards the 60–100 GHz range (mmWave communication) [4, 5].

To facilitate 5G capabilities (latency less than 1 ms, more than 5 Gbps data rate for high mobile user, other quality of (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE), enhanced spectral, energy and network efficiency, smart security, etc.) FCNs need to enhance existing services. To fulfill 5G and beyond 5G stringent service requirements, it is essential to have an understanding of all available resources across networks (wireless and optical), across radio-access technologies (RAT) (various frequency domain), across services (different class of services and traffic type), across emerging and disruptive technologies (internet-of-things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR)), and across cloud


**81**

**Figure 1.**

*Convergence of Wireless and Optical Network in Future Communication Network*

domains, and finally different backhaul network technologies. The 5G applications categories into three main domains: ultra-reliable low latency communication (uRLLC), massive machine type communication (mMTC), and enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) [6, 7]. Moving beyond 5G, 6G communication includes few disrupting technologies, such as machine learning (ML) based communication, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), holographic communication, high precision service, enhance user experience (towards 5-sense), Industry 4.0, molecular communication and more. Their specifications are futuristic, which include 5 Gbps in data rate, 25 μs in latency, new material for 5-sense experience, etc. **Figure 1** provides an overview of the required specifications for three different areas in 5G

In today's telecommunication world, user access the services through different transmission media (copper, wireless, and fiber), however, backbone are predominantly optical. Most of the time, the access network is wireless, as the number of devices increases over the years due invent of IoT). In this work, users use the wireless networks for access purposes with the backbone network as optical. **Figure 2** gives an idea of how the evolution of optical networks makes an impact on the wireless network. As the requirements of high data rate and low latency are increasing, the availability of optical networks (fronthaul) is coming closer to the home and access distance through wireless is decreasing. In the following, the

Over the years, wireless communication evolved generation-wise, started from 1G analog to 5G digital and moving towards 6G communication. The focus of 5G and 6G technologies is to connect people, society seamlessly along with applications, services, data, and geographical area in a smart networked environment. The present wireless network is heterogeneous in terms of infrastructure (Macrocell to femtocell), spectrum usage (licensed and unlicensed, sub-GHz to THz), coverage (multi-tier), antenna (single to the massive number of antennas), cooperation (user

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97293*

*Characteristics of (a) 5G and (b) 6G communication.*

communication and also in 6G communication [4].

development of technologies will be discussed in both domains.

**2. Technology evolution over the years**

**2.1 Development of wireless network**

to eNB), and power usage (mW to 100 W).

#### **Table 1.**

*Important milestones in wireless and wireline communication.*

*Convergence of Wireless and Optical Network in Future Communication Network DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97293*

**Figure 1.** *Characteristics of (a) 5G and (b) 6G communication.*

*Wireless Power Transfer – Recent Development, Applications and New Perspectives*

communication) [4, 5].

1876 A. G. Bell transmits the first sentence

1927 The first transatlantic phone call, from the US to the UK

1956 Kapany invented the glass-coated glass rod, named Fiber

1960 Kao demonstrate communication through fiber

1958 LASER invented by Schawlow and Townes

1970 Corning Glass produced a practical fiber

1973 TCP/IP protocol proposed by Kahn and Cerf

1977 the first live telephone traffic through fiber optics

2014 Demonstration of softwaredefined networking

*Important milestones in wireless and wireline communication.*

1948 Shannon published Shannon's formula

To supports ever-increasing demand on requirements for different types of usage, applications, services, several technologies have been developed over the year. **Table 1** describes the important milestones in both wireline and wireless communication. The development of wireline communication first started in copper and later shifted to the optical domain. In the present day, optical fiber is used in the backhaul network and copper wire is used normally in the access network. In the case of wireless communication, communication first started in the sub-GHz range and slowly it moves towards high-frequency ranges. In the latest, wireless communication is moving towards the 60–100 GHz range (mmWave

To facilitate 5G capabilities (latency less than 1 ms, more than 5 Gbps data rate

1877 First long-distance telephone line 1986 Marconi demonstrates wireless telegraphy

1992 Birth of WWW 2010 First 4G handset introduced 1997 Fiber optic link around the globe 2012 5G focus group created 2005 YouTube.com launches 2016 Coined Industry 4.0

2006 Cloud computing started 2016 Google unveils Google Assistant

1894 Transmission through radio demonstrated

1914 first voice communication was established

1901 Send the signal wirelessly across the

1946 The first public mobile telephone was introduced by AT&T

1973 Motorola makes a mobile call from a handheld mobile phone

by J. C. Bose

Atlantic

over a radio

1992 GSM starts its operation

2003 Birth of WWWW

1997 IEEE releases WiFi standard

2009 Birth of the Internet of Things

2019 6G Communication coined

for high mobile user, other quality of (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE), enhanced spectral, energy and network efficiency, smart security, etc.) FCNs need to enhance existing services. To fulfill 5G and beyond 5G stringent service requirements, it is essential to have an understanding of all available resources across networks (wireless and optical), across radio-access technologies (RAT) (various frequency domain), across services (different class of services and traffic type), across emerging and disruptive technologies (internet-of-things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR)), and across cloud

**Wireline Communication Wireless Communication Year Milestones Year Milestones**

**80**

**Table 1.**

domains, and finally different backhaul network technologies. The 5G applications categories into three main domains: ultra-reliable low latency communication (uRLLC), massive machine type communication (mMTC), and enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) [6, 7]. Moving beyond 5G, 6G communication includes few disrupting technologies, such as machine learning (ML) based communication, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), holographic communication, high precision service, enhance user experience (towards 5-sense), Industry 4.0, molecular communication and more. Their specifications are futuristic, which include 5 Gbps in data rate, 25 μs in latency, new material for 5-sense experience, etc. **Figure 1** provides an overview of the required specifications for three different areas in 5G communication and also in 6G communication [4].
