Performance Evaluation Of A Hybrid WDM-PON And FSO System For 5G Fronthaul Applications

Abstract

With the rapid development of 5G and beyond networks, there is a growing need for communication systems that are high-speed, energy-efficient, and cost-effective. This work proposes a simplified hybrid Passive Optical Network (PON) architecture that integrates Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) and Free Space Optics (FSO) for 5G fronthaul applications. The design provides a simpler alternative to complex OFDM-based systems while maintaining comparable performance. Dedicated wavelengths are assigned to each Distribution Unit (DU) and Remote Unit (RU) through WDM-PON, enabling efficient transmission over a shared optical fiber and FSO link. Simulations are conducted using OptiSystem to evaluate key Bit Error Rate (BER) under different weather conditions. In addition, mathematical analysis is performed to estimate the total energy consumption of the system. Results show that the system supports an FSO link distance of up to 2.78 km while maintaining the required BER threshold. Compared to OFDM-WDM-PON designs, the proposed system reduces total energy consumption by up to 16.98 % using fewer components and a simpler structure. These findings demonstrate that the WDM-PON-FSO architecture is a reliable and energy-efficient solution for future 5G and beyond fronthaul network.