Abstract: “5G networks are expected to be deployed by 2020 and 5G is currently a hot research topic receiving considerable attention from industry and academia alike. It is expected that the latest networking technologies like Software-Defined Networking (SDN), Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Mobile Edge Computing will play a pivotal role in the design of the integrated 5G network infrastructure. This paper shows how the mentioned technologies (baptized together as network softwarization) may impact the 5G networks design, operations, standardization and business models. A high level concept of Mobile Code based Convergent Network (MCCN), based on a dynamic placement of software modules in a distributed cloud environment, that is able to cope with 5G requirements will be discussed in detail and we argue the potential benefits of the proposed solution.”

Keywords: Softwarization, SDN, 5G, cloud, NFV