A Review of Hybrid VLC/RF Networks: Features, Applications, and Future Directions.

The expectation for communication systems beyond 5G/6G is to provide high reliability, high throughput, low latency, and high energy efficiency services. The integration between systems based on radio frequency (RF) and visible light communication (VLC) promises the design of hybrid systems capable of addressing and largely satisfying these requirements. Hybrid network design enables complementary cooperation without interference between the two technologies, thereby increasing the overall system data rate, improving load balancing, and reducing non-coverage areas.