Communication networks including multi-purpose shared communication mediums, and associated methods

1. A method for transmitting data in a communication network including a shared communication medium, comprising:

transmitting local data between a first node and a second node according to a first data protocol, using a first shared communication medium including at least one of an electrical cable and an optical cable;

transmitting remote data between the first node and a network hub according to a second data protocol different from the first data protocol, using at least the first shared communication medium;

determining that a network resource required at the first node is not available to the first node via another node communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium; and

in response to determining that the network resource is not available to the first node via another node communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium, accessing the network resource via the network hub.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising simultaneously (a) transmitting the local data between the first node and the second node via one or more first frequency bands using the first shared communication medium and (b) transmitting the remote data between the first node and the network hub via one or more second frequency bands using at least the first shared communication medium, the one or more first frequency bands being different from the one or more second frequency bands.

3. A method for transmitting data in a communication network including a shared communication medium, comprising:

transmitting local data between a first node and a second node according to a first data protocol, using a first shared communication medium including at least one of an electrical cable and an optical cable;

transmitting remote data between the first node and a network hub according to a second data protocol different from the first data protocol, using at least the first shared communication medium;

determining that a network resource required at the first node is available at the second node; and

in response to determining that the network resource is available at the second node, accessing the network resource at the first node from the second node using the first shared communication medium.

4. A method for transmitting data in a communication network including a shared communication medium, comprising:

transmitting local data between a first node and a second node according to a first data protocol, using a first shared communication medium including at least one of an electrical cable and an optical cable, the local data comprising wireless communication network control data transmitted between a wireless base station at the first node and a wireless communication network control module at the second node;

transmitting remote data between the first node and a network hub according to a second data protocol different from the first data protocol, using at least the first shared communication medium; and

instantiating the wireless communication network control module in customer premises equipment at the second node.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising instantiating the wireless communication network control module in the customer premises equipment in response to a change in operating conditions in the wireless communication network.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the wireless communication network control module comprises at least one of a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Serving Gateway (S-GW), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a PDN Gateway (P-GW), a Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), a User Plane Function (UPF), an Access Management Mobility Function (AMF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a Session Management Function (SMF), an Application Function (AF), an Unified Data Function (UDM), and a Policy control function (PCF).

7. A method for transmitting data in a communication network including a shared communication medium, comprising

transmitting local data between a first node and a second node according to a first data protocol, using a first shared communication medium including at least one of an electrical cable and an optical cable, wherein the local data comprises content data from a content server at the second node;

transmitting remote data between the first node and a network hub according to a second data protocol different from the first data protocol, using at least the first shared communication medium;

instantiating the content server in customer premises equipment at the second node in response to a demand for the data by one or more nodes communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the remote data between the first node and the network hub using a backhaul communication medium between the first shared communication medium and the network hub.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first shared communication medium comprises a coaxial electrical cable.

10. A node for use in a communication network including a shared communication medium, comprising:

a first communication module configured to transmit local data between the node and an additional node according to a first data protocol, using a first shared communication medium including at least one of an electrical cable and an optical cable;

a second communication module configured to transmit remote data between the node and a network hub according to a second data protocol that is different from the first data protocol, using the first shared communication medium; and

a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

determine that a network resource required at the node is not available via another node communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium, and

in response to determining that the network resource is not available via another node communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium, access the network resource via the network hub.

11. The node of claim 10 , wherein the first and second communication modules are further respectively configured to (a) transmit the local data between the node and the additional node via one or more first frequency bands using the first shared communication medium and (b) transmit the remote data between the node and the network hub via one or more second frequency bands using at least the first shared communication medium, the one or more first frequency bands being different from the one or more second frequency bands.

12. A node for use in a communication network including a shared communication medium, comprising:

a first communication module configured to transmit local data between the node and an additional node according to a first data protocol, using a first shared communication medium including at least one of an electrical cable and an optical cable;

a second communication module configured to transmit remote data between the node and a network hub according to a second data protocol that is different from the first data protocol, using the first shared communication medium; and

a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

determine that a network resource required at the node is available at the additional node, and

in response to determining that the network resource is available at the additional node, access the network resource from the additional node using the first shared communication medium.

13. The node of claim 10 , further comprising a wireless communication network control module for controlling one or more wireless base stations communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium.

14. The node of claim 10 , further comprising a content server for providing content to one or more other nodes communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium.

15. The node of claim 12 , further comprising a wireless communication network control module for controlling one or more wireless base stations communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium.

16. The node of claim 12 , further comprising a content server for providing content to one or more other nodes communicatively coupled to the first shared communication medium.

17. The method of claim 3 , further comprising transmitting the remote data between the first node and the network hub using a backhaul communication medium between the first shared communication medium and the network hub.

18. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first shared communication medium comprises a coaxial electrical cable.