During recent years, discussions about modulation schemes for 5th generation (5G) wireless communication have been a key topic in technology communities. Modulation polices should be capable enough to meet the versatile requirements of the 5G architecture, which are somehow contradictory and complicated. There can be multiple single or adaptive policies. In this regard, this article provides an illustrative survey concerned with spatial modulation (SM), index modulation (IM), and their value for deploying massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) and multicarrier systems.

The nature of massive MIMO systems has some intrinsic properties, which would differentiate them from conventional MIMO systems; discovering and exploiting these features for superior data transmission rates are objectives of related research groups. SM is a transmission technique to make use of these advantages by regarding the transmission antenna index in addition to constellation bits. Comparing SM technology with traditional MIMO transmission policies with criteria like spectral and energy efficiency, error performance, and complexity is an aim of the article. Different advanced versions of SM, like generalized SM, enhanced SM, and quadrature SM, are discussed in terms of their significance, spectral efficiency, active transmission and signal constellation combination data transmission, and inter-channel free interference and single radio frequency (RF) chain. Cooperative and massive multiuser MIMO systems with SM are other considered topics. Moreover, there is a special emphasis on transmission antenna division and management policies.

The structure of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing with index modulation (OFDM-IM) systems and their relative advancements is the next dialogue of the article. The latest versions of OFDM-IM, generalized OFDM-IM, and MIMO-OFDM-IM are explained. In all cases, relevant graphs and tables are provided, which definitely assists the reader in understanding the subjects.

This is a good and illustrative article concerned with a high-level description of SM and IM. However, to get more insight into the subject, it would be necessary to read one of its references as the foundation of the topic.