Type of service

Engineering

Service (business)

Communications system

Computer security

Systems engineering

Telecommunications

Economics

Computer science

Distributed computing

Current (fluid)

Computer network

Cellular network

Software engineering

Economy

Software deployment

Electrical engineering

Key (lock)

IEEE Communications Magazine

Machine-type communications (MTC) enables a broad range of applications from mission- critical services to massive deployment of autonomous devices. To spread these applications widely, cellular systems are considered as a potential candidate to provide connectivity for MTC devices. The ubiquitous deployment of these systems reduces network installation cost and provides mobility support. However, based on the service functions, there are key challenges that currently hinder the broad use of cellular systems for MTC. This article provides a clear mapping between the main MTC service requirements and their associated challenges. The goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of these challenges and the potential solutions. This study presents, in part, a roadmap from the current cellular technologies toward fully MTC-capable 5G mobile systems.

Machine-type communications: current status and future perspectives toward 5G systems