# Empowering a Broadband Communications Course with a Unified Module on 5G and Fixed 5G Networks +
## 1 Introduction  
As the deployment of more bandwidth-demanding applications is underway, the total traffic originating from access networks is scaling with over 50% Compound AnnualGrowth Rate (CAGR), pushing the overall telecom/datacom networks' needs to ever-higher rates and capacities, and lower latency requirements. These needs push network operators and service providers towards the widespread deployment and adoption of the technologies and innovations of the fifth generation of wireless communications (5G) and the fifth generation of fixed networks (F5G), as well as participate in discussions regarding the sixth generation of wireless networks (6G) standardization, that aims to offer more demanding use case families and services [1, 2, 3, 4]. Towards these targets, various EU-funded 6G initiatives have already begun, especially under the umbrella of the 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G-IA). In this fast-evolving world, a thorough understanding of the major technologies, standards, available services, and their requirements is a must for telecommunications professionals, particularly teachers in technological schools, workshop instructors, and general educators in the Information Technology (IT) sector. Telecommunications, being a broad subject in modern university curricula, is often taught through a series of specialized courses, each addressing a distinct telecommunication area. Though such an approach has the advantage of providing a more specialized, in-depth presentation of each topic, it may result in knowledge fragmentation, a lack of a cohesive understanding of telecommunication principles and ideas, and misunderstandings. To address this issue, either a telecommunication course (ideally at an early stage of the syllabus) might contain a coherent presentation of the telecommunication topic [5], or the syllabus could be designed in an appropriate modular fashion (e.g., as described in [6]). To improve students' conceptual understanding, a unified approach could be applied to more specific issues, such as determining the feasibility of a telecom link (either wireless or fiber-optic) based on attenuation and possibly dispersion considerations, integrating electronics and fiber optics, analyzing transmission lines using electromagnetic and circuit theory, and so on [7, 8, 9, 10]. Another example of the necessity for a unified analysis is data exchange via the Internet, which typically uses more than one transmission media, such as a wireless channel, optical fiber, or copper cable. Furthermore, the services and apps that process and provide this data to consumers may be accessible via a variety of platforms, including personal computers, cell phones, laptops, and so on. For this purpose, the app/service layer is independent of the type of device and the underlying infrastructure, and a decoupled approach for the presentation of the wireless and fixed networks will hinder the student's perception of the topic. In this work, we aim to address this problem and further enhance the cognitive skills of teachers in technological schools by designing and implementing a curriculum module that integrates 5G and F5G in a cohesive manner, aligning with the evolutionary timeline of wireless and fixed networks. The approach involves dividing the 5G/F5G network into three layers--the app/service layer, the network layer, and the physical layer--in a layered fashion. This method consolidates a wide range of current standards and technologies into a structured format with fewer layers and groups, simplifying the engineering process and outlining the key innovations and constraints of each generation from multiple perspectives, thus facilitating the overall learning process [4]. In addition, the unification of fixed and wireless networks underpins the common app/service layer, which offers various services and applications to the end users, and it is now, in essence, virtually independent from the underlying access infrastructure.