HSDPA Performance Enhancement Using Repeaters and Remote RF Heads

Abstract

Applicability of coexistence of repeaters and remote radio frequency (RF) heads as a scheme to enhance high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) network performance has not been studied so far. In this paper, a step-by-step approach is proposed to analyze the usage of repeaters and remote RF heads to enhance over the air (OTA) throughput and HSDPA performance in general. Network constellations with and without repeaters and remote RF heads are developed for a realistic dense urban city centre scenario. Dynamic system level simulations have been conducted for different network configurations and for varying loads of FTP traffic. From the simulation results, it is seen that, scenarios enhanced with repeaters showed significantly better performance than the pure macro cell scenario or the pure RF Head scenario. Networks enhanced with a mixture of repeaters and remote RF heads mounted below rooftop with reduced power levels showed significantly better channel qualities than the macro cell network enhanced with repeaters mounted above rooftop. Approximately 50% increase in OTA throughput accompanied by 50% reduction in downlink power consumption and mean session duration was observed for the RF head scenario enhanced with repeaters, in comparison with macro cell scenario enhanced with repeaters; these are highly beneficial for the HSDPA system as a whole