Introduction to Radio over Fiber

A broad overview of radio over fiber technologies and systems is provided in this chapter. At first, the key concepts that distinguish radio over fiber systems from other optical communication systems are identified and the main advantages and disadvantages of the radio over fiber approach are discussed. Categories and types of radio over fiber system are then described, contrasting modulation methods and operational frequencies, for example. The means of characterizing the performance of radio over fiber systems are then outlined, with the factors affecting performance highlighted. Finally, some of the different application areas of radio over fiber technology are presented, referring to research and commercial developments.