PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF 5G PATH LOSS MODELS FOR RURAL MACROCELL ENVIRONMENT

Muhammad Akramuddin Mohd Nordin,Huda Adibah Mohd Ramli

doi:10.31436/iiumej.v21i1.1247

Muhammad Akramuddin Mohd Nordin, Huda Adibah Mohd Ramli

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.31436/iiumej.v21i1.1247

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Abstract

5G networks are expected to use the Millimeter Wave (mmWave) frequency band and this frequency provides wider bandwidth allowing a better quality of service to be offered to the users. However, the mmWave frequencies may lead to a higher path loss due to several factors including blockages,rain and atmosphere. Therefore, to allow optimal positioning of the 5G base stations, the study of path loss model in this 5G mmWave frequencies is crucial. This paper investigates the 5G path loss models as well as their parameters that are most suitable for cross-polarized antennas under rural macrocell environment in Malaysia. Path loss models namely Close In Free Space Reference Distance Path Loss Model (CI) model, and Alpha Beta Gamma (ABG) or Floating Intercept (FI) Model along with their parameters achieved from the previous studies were evaluated by comparing the parameters and models that are closest to the sampled path loss when using antennas that have different patterns and polarizations in an open-source simulator. Results obtained indicate that FI model can be adapted to the majority of the environment where this model showed the lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). The study of path loss models by using advanced simulator or field measurement, and studies on other rural areas from other states in Malaysia will be considered in future works.

Highlights

The Fifth Generation (5G) network is expected to provide a better quality of multimedia services for significantly larger number of mobile phone users [1,2]
Results show that when tested in line of sight (LOS) and non-line of sight (NLOS) conditions with different antenna patterns, the Floating Intercept (FI) model with their respective parameters is the most suitable model to be used for the majority of the scenarios of rural macrocell in Malaysia whereas CI model only can be used for Cross-Polarized Directional antenna under LOS scenario only
The results obtained from this research can be recommended to be standardized for Malaysia’s 5G implementation for rural macrocell areas when using cross polarized antennas as the parameter values of the basic path loss models are from the studies made from previous researches

Summary

Introduction

The Fifth Generation (5G) network is expected to provide a better quality of multimedia services for significantly larger number of mobile phone users [1,2] To achieve this expectation, the standardization bodies proposed the Millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies (i.e. the frequency range of 3 GHz to 300 GHz) to be used for the 5G given that the lower range of frequencies are mostly congested [2,3]. The study conducted by [4] shows that path loss in mmWave frequency at shorter distance under non-line of sight (NLOS) condition is above 100 dB This indicates that mmWave frequencies is very sensitive to certain factors such as rain, atmosphere and blockages [5]. Based on this observation and given the importance of path loss in the network planning for optimal installation of 5G base stations, path loss needs to be accurately modelled

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