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In this article, we highlight a novel solution for densifying 5G access networks. Taking benefits from local actors and prosumers, our proposal allows offering a better connectivity to end-users in a model involving network operators and a crowd of local actors. We show that building a multi-actors and densified access network infrastructure has become possible in a distributed way. Incumbent actors with a large footprint act as trusted partners securing the infrastructure and providing guarantees, while the crowd of local actors deploys multiple access points and are rewarded for their contribution. Rewarding is possible thanks to a distributed Bandwidth & Identity ledger along with a Proof of Bandwidth (PoB) mechanism. This article presents the main principles of this new connectivity platform, BALAdIN (Bandwidth Ledger AccountIng Networks), which relies on a consortium blockchain with access control mechanisms removing communitarian Wifi and ad hoc networks drawbacks. Indeed, combining distributed ledgers and edge networks allows local actors to cooperate with trusted parties, which leverages the full potential of multi-actors access networks.

International audienceReal-time communications are much more than only traditional voice services. They have become interactive, transversal and are expected to be integrated as a feature of other applications. More and more communications services are offered by web companies that have been taking advantage of Internet flat rate charges and mostly use best-effort capabilities. Simultaneously, many efforts are currently devoted to improve the quality of experience of clients using communication services. The paper analyses current implementations of managed VoIP and emerging WebRTC technology in order to assess the possibility of offering specialized media flow treatments to real-time web communications. It proposes two research approaches: "in-network" and "over-the-network" and several elements that could contribute to an overall solution allowing web communication services to benefit from specialized network services

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), also known as "Blockchain" is one of the trendiest digital innovations in our era. While firstly applied to cryptocurrencies, the trustworthiness inherent to DLT paved the way to many new usages notably in sectors such as land registration or banking where confidence in transactions is crucial. In the telecommunications sector, DLTs have enabled the development of future network architectures, such as new decentralised and multiactor access networks. Having identified this as a great opportunity, we designed BALAdIN, a novel Blockchain-powered decentralised application that improves network coverage thanks to partnerships. Indeed, it allows a crowd of local actors such as shop tenants to deploy mobile cells with the help of a consortium of telcos. The traffic conveyed by each actor is traced thanks to a decentralised and trustworthy network monitoring mechanism we have designed. This mechanism both solves the centralisation dilemma caused by Blockchain Oracles and allows each actor to be rewarded depending on usage.In this paper, we focus on the description of this network usage monitoring mechanism. We then study the feasibility of its implementation onto regular Blockchain by studying its performance regarding the throughput and the propagation of the resulting Blockchain transactions. Finally, we derive a scalable deployment scheme for our novel Blockchain-powered decentralised network metering application BALAdIN.