# Advances in Improving Energy Efficiency of Fiber-Wireless Access Networks: A Comprehensive Overview
## 7 Discussion
Therefore, C-RAN architecture has the potential to significantly improve the energy efficiency of cellular networks through centralization, fronthaul compression, dynamic power management of radio resources and the use of the SDN and NFV. However, careful planning is required to ensure that the high bandwidth requirements of the fronthaul links can be met and to avoid adding complexity to the network. In the presented analyses, it is shown that EE is an important concern in the design and operation of the FiWi networks due to the fact that the energy consumption of these networks can be a significant portion of the total OPEX of network operators. One way to improve the EE of FiWi networks is to use MEC technology. The MEC allows the deployment of computing and storage resources closer to the edge of the network and thus closer to the users. This can reduce the energy consumption of the network by reducing the amount of data that needs to be transmitted over long-distance fiber-optic links between remote cloud servers and users located at the edge of the wireless network, since more data processing can be carried out locally at the edge servers. Optical fibers are already recognized for their EE and, implemented with MEC technology, can additionally diminish unneeded data transfer in optical networks. However, energy efficiency in the MEC-based FiWi networks is still largely unexplored and it should be a highly prioritized subject of future research. In addition, energy-efficient techniques for MEC-enabled FiWi networks include power-aware resource management schemes. These schemes optimize the allocation of resources to the fiber-optic and wireless links based on the traffic demand and the available energy. This optimization can be performed in combination with collaborative computation offloading schemes, which computationally redirect demanding tasks from the central remote server in the cloud to a server located closer to the users at the edge of the network. These concepts have the potential to contribute to the full proliferation of the green communications paradigm and to significantly decrease energy consumption in the FiWi networks. One advantage of using the SDN in FiWi networks is the ability to dynamically control and optimize network resources. With the SDN concept, network administrators can use a centralized controller to manage and configure network devices, which allows the simple allocation of resources and the adjustment of network configurations as needed. Such an SDN concept can also help to improve the efficiency and performance of FiWi networks, particularly in dynamic or high-traffic-demand environments. Because network configurations can be easily adjusted using the centralized controller, it is easier to add or remove devices and services as needed. This will enable telecommunication providers to satisfy the changing needs of their customers and adaptation to new technologies and trends. Overall, the use of SDN in the FiWi networks can help to improve the efficiency, performance and flexibility of these networks, making them a more attractive option for telecommunications providers and their customers. In conclusion, FiWi networks offer a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for delivering broadband services to a wide range of customers. By leveraging the energy-saving potential of fiber optic cables and incorporating other energy-efficient techniques and strategies, telecommunications providers can help to reduce the environmental impact of their networks and contribute to a more sustainable future. The use of energy-efficient techniques presented in this survey can significantly improve the EE of FiWi networks, thus reducing their operating costs and carbon footprints.