Performance of LTE network for VoIP users

With the arrival of LTE standard, it is expected that the mobile voice services paradigm will shift from the circuit switched to fully packet switched mode supporting the VoIP services. VoIP services took quite a bit of time before they were accepted as the main stream telephony service in the fixed networks. To provide VoIP services over the LTE networks with appropriate QoS, it is necessary to analyse the performance of such services and optimise the network parameters. This paper analyses the performance of VoIP services on the LTE network using the FD and the SMP packet scheduling techniques. This work identifies and analyses the features of above LTE packet scheduling techniques to enhance the QoS of VoIP services. An OPNET-based simulation model is used to analyse the performance of VoIP services on the LTE network by incorporating G.711 and G.723 speech coders. The work also studied the performance of VoIP services in variable transmission channel conditions

A novel downlink semi-persistent packet scheduling scheme for VoLTE traffic over heterogeneous wireless networks

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is becoming the first choice of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) when constructing a wireless network infrastructure because of its high data rate, high throughput and low latency. These significant advancements are necessary for satisfying the delivery of a wide-range of mobile applications and managed network resources. However, deploying a new LTE network or a transition from current legacy cellular networks to LTE can take several years to roll out. In the meantime, working in a heterogeneous wireless communications network looks inevitable. This paper investigates Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Quality of Service (QoS) under a heterogeneous wireless communication scenario. The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, a novel Downlink (DL) semi-persistent scheduling scheme is proposed to reduce VoLTE end-to-end delay and increase system capacity. Second, an extensive network simulation model has been designed and implemented to evaluate the proposed scheme. The performance of the proposed scheme is compared with the performance of two relevant and well-known DL packet scheduling methods. The simulation results confirm that the proposed scheme is able to reduce VoLTE end-to-end delay and achieve a better system capacity than current methods, and maintain the desired VoLTE QoS

A Study of Packet Scheduling Schemes for VoIP and Best Effort Traffic in LTE Networks

The Long Term Evolution (LTE) provides all services over Internet Protocol (IP) since it is an all IP network. To use available radio resources in an effective utilization, Packet Scheduling (PS) should be considered to enhance the Quality of Service (QoS) of Real Time (RT) and Non-Real Time (NRT) traffic. In this thesis, the PS of both RT and NRT traffic is studied in LTE networks. Apriority packet scheduling algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm has the ability to schedule the mixed traffic, RT and NRT, simultaneously. The objective of the algorithm is to maximize the Best Effort (BE) throughput while achieves the satisfaction QoS requirements of RT throughput. According to the obtained results of the thesis, the traffic should be differentiated and the services should be prioritized, when applying delay sensitive services. A system simulation is performed to support the study for mixed services approaches with Voice over IP (VoIP) and a second BE service such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP). The performance of the proposed algorithm and the impact of the different factors on the overall system performance have been tested. The work is done at Medium Access Control (MAC) layer and Physical Layer (PHY). Finally, a good results are achieved that guarantee a good end to end performance for both voice and data services

Convergence of packet communications over the evolved mobile networks; signal processing and protocol performance

In this thesis, the convergence of packet communications over the evolved mobile networks is studied. The Long Term Evolution (LTE) process is dominating the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in order to bring technologies to the markets in the spirit of continuous innovation. The global markets of mobile information services are growing towards the Mobile Information Society. The thesis begins with the principles and theories of the multiple-access transmission schemes, transmitter receiver techniques and signal processing algorithms. Next, packet communications and Internet protocols are referred from the IETF standards with the characteristics of mobile communications in the focus. The mobile network architecture and protocols bind together the evolved packet system of Internet communications to the radio access network technologies. Specifics of the traffic models are shortly visited for their statistical meaning in the radio performance analysis. Radio resource management algorithms and protocols, also procedures, are covered addressing their relevance for the system performance. Throughout these Chapters, the commonalities and differentiators of the WCDMA, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE are covered. The main outcome of the thesis is the performance analysis of the LTE technology beginning from the early discoveries to the analysis of various system features and finally converging to an extensive system analysis campaign. The system performance is analysed with the characteristics of voice over the Internet and best effort traffic of the Internet. These traffic classes represent the majority of the mobile traffic in the converged packet networks, and yet they are simple enough for a fair and generic analysis of technologies. The thesis consists of publications and inventions created by the author that proposed several improvements to the 3G technologies towards the LTE. In the system analysis, the LTE showed by the factor of at least 2.5 to 3 times higher system measures compared to the WCDMA/HSPA reference. The WCDMA/HSPA networks are currently available with over 400 million subscribers and showing increasing growth, in the meanwhile the first LTE roll-outs are scheduled to begin in 2010. Sophisticated 3G LTE mobile devices are expected to appear fluently for all consumer segments in the following years

Investigation of efficient resource allocation schemes for WiMAX networks

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University on 9 July 2008.WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a promising wireless technology with the aim of providing the last mile wireless broadband access designed for both fixed and mobile consumers as an alternative solution to the wired DSL and cable access schemes. The purpose of this research project is to investigate efficient resource allocation algorithms for WiMax. To achieve this goal, we investigate efficient PHY layer Partial Usage of SubCarriers (PUSC) allocation as well as MAC layer piggyback bandwidth request mechanisms. At the PHY layer we proposed improvements on the Uplink and Downlink PUSC subcarrier allocation scheme. For the Uplink PUSC we suggested a method by allocating different frequencies to neighbouring cells in combination with the Integer Frequency Reuse (IFR) and Fractional Frequency Reuse (FFR) in order to reduce interferences and collisions. The simulation results exhibit that collision rates can be reduced to zero for both IFR and FFR patterns with the proposed improvement by assuming that perfect power control is used in the system. In addition, there is no collision at cell edges. The results also show that FFR patterns achieve lower inter-cell interference and higher capacities as compared to the IFR patterns. For the Downlink PUSC we introduced an offset scheme with the purpose of increasing the number of users in the system. At the MAC layer we propose an improvement on the piggyback bandwidth request mechanism by increasing the size of the piggyback bandwidth request in order to reduce the number of bandwidth requests and hence improve the resource utilisation. The simulation results demonstrate that our improved scheme achieves higher throughput, less delay and packet loss rates as compared to the standardised piggyback bandwidth request mechanism