Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination Challenges in Heterogeneous Networks

3GPP LTE-Advanced has started a new study item to investigate Heterogeneous Network (HetNet) deployments as a cost effective way to deal with the unrelenting traffic demand. HetNets consist of a mix of macrocells, remote radio heads, and low-power nodes such as picocells, femtocells, and relays. Leveraging network topology, increasing the proximity between the access network and the end-users, has the potential to provide the next significant performance leap in wireless networks, improving spatial spectrum reuse and enhancing indoor coverage. Nevertheless, deployment of a large number of small cells overlaying the macrocells is not without new technical challenges. In this article, we present the concept of heterogeneous networks and also describe the major technical challenges associated with such network architecture. We focus in particular on the standardization activities within the 3GPP related to enhanced inter-cell interference coordination.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

An overview of 5G technologies

Since the development of 4G cellular networks is considered to have ended in 2011, the attention of the research community is now focused on innovations in wireless communications technology with the introduction of the fifth-generation (5G) technology. One cycle for each generation of cellular development is generally thought to be about 10 years; so the 5G networks are promising to be deployed around 2020. This chapter will provide an overview and major research directions for the 5G that have been or are being deployed, presenting new challenges as well as recent research results related to the 5G technologies. Through this chapter, readers will have a full picture of the technologies being deployed toward the 5G networks and vendors of hardware devices with various prototypes of the 5G wireless communications systems

An overview of 5G technologies

Since the development of 4G cellular networks is considered to have ended in 2011, the attention of the research community is now focused on innovations in wireless communications technology with the introduction of the fifth-generation (5G) technology. One cycle for each generation of cellular development is generally thought to be about 10 years; so the 5G networks are promising to be deployed around 2020. This chapter will provide an overview and major research directions for the 5G that have been or are being deployed, presenting new challenges as well as recent research results related to the 5G technologies. Through this chapter, readers will have a full picture of the technologies being deployed toward the 5G networks and vendors of hardware devices with various prototypes of the 5G wireless communications systems