Visible light communications for 5G wireless networking systems: from fixed to mobile communications

Visible light communication, considered as a potential access option for 5G wireless communications, is gaining extensive attention. VLC has strengths in energy efficiency and ultra wide bandwidth, but also has weakness in transmission range and obstacles in transmission paths. This article aims to provide a conclusive investigation of the latest progress in research on VLC, which can be used as part of 5G wireless communication systems. This work highlights the strengths and weaknesses of VLC in comparison with RF-based communications, especially in spectrum, spatial reuse, security and energy efficiency. The article also investigates various lighting sources proposed for VLC systems. It summarizes the literature work on VLC networking into two categories: fixed and mobile VLC communications.