Spectrum-Energy Efficiency Optimization for Downlink LTE-A for Heterogeneous Networks

Abstract

Heterogeneous networks have been pointed out to be one of the key network architectures that help increase system capacity and reduce power consumption for efficient communications. Although conceivably, high operational efficiency brings a high profit for mobile service providers, it is noteworthy that the potential for maximizing the profit has not been explored for the heterogeneous environment. This paper investigates profitability for network operators with the spectrum-energy efficiency metric on the downlink of LTE Advanced communication systems. We pursue optimal policies by employing the techniques of cell size zooming, user migration, and sleep mode in the deployment of different base station types. The problem is formulated as a quasiconvex optimization problem and it is transformed into an equivalent form of the MILP problem; the former is solved with a bisection algorithm and the latter is approached by an off-the-shelf software package. Since the formulated optimization problem is NP hard, a sub-optimal approach with a lower computational complexity is also proposed. Numerical analysis through case studies are presented to evaluate the efficiency improvements, and demonstrate the performance of the near-optimal solution.