Signals Ahead: LTE-Advanced and Coordinated Multi-Point: What Goes Around, Comes Around
Signals Research Group, LLC, April 2012, Pages: 34
Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) is a Release 11 and beyond feature (formally part of Release 10) that leverages the simultaneous support of multiple transmission points to serve mobile devices in the high interference areas that occur between cells (inter-cell) and between sectors within a given cell (intra-cell). In theory it can provide stellar gains on the order of high double-digit percentages for edge of cell user throughput while also providing at least some increase in overall network efficiency. In practical terms, the benefits of CoMP are less clear and there is at least some justified reservations regarding its potential impact on an operator's network.
- CoMP 101.The report explains the technical details of the various CoMP implementations, including CS/CB, DCS, JT, and uplink, as well the different implementation options, namely intra-cell versus inter- cell, and the use of distributed baseband pooling versus a distributed approach.
- The Benefits. In theory, CoMP can provide a meaningful edge of cell performance gain as well as a more modest benefit to overall spectral efficiency. We quantify the potential gains and how they vary based on the implementation of CoMP being used, as well as other important assumptions.
- The Challenges. To varying degrees, the potential benefits of CoMP may not translate from network simulations to real world network deployments. Multiple technical factors and logistical considerations need to be considered. We discuss
- The Alternatives. CoMP isn't the only solution that is capable of increasing spectral efficiency and edge of cell performance. We discuss what is being done both within the standard (pre-Release 11) and on a vendor-specific basis.
- The Likely Rollout Strategies. Although recent 3GPP activity has seemingly delayed various aspects of CoMP, it is still a question of when and not if CoMP reaches commercial status. We explain how we see CoMP being deployed and we examine what some of the vendors are doing to drive higher network performance, either with or without CoMP.
All this and more in this issue of Signals Ahead.
ABOUT SIGNALS AHEAD SUBSCRIPTION
This report is included in a subscription to Signals Ahead or it can be purchased separately.
Signals Ahead is a research-focused product that is published on a periodic basis. Its clientele include all facets of the wireless ecosystem, including some of the largest mobile operators, the top handset suppliers, the major infrastructure vendors, subsystem suppliers, semiconductor companies and financial institutions, including Wall Street, Private Equity and Venture Capitalists, spread across five continents.
1.0 CoMP a quick primer
1.1 Coordinated Scheduling/Coordinated Beamforming
1.2 Joint Transmission
1.3 Dynamic Cell Selection
1.4 Intra-cell versus Inter-cell CoMP
1.5 Uplink CoMP
2.0 The Challenges of Implementing CoMP
2.1 Backhaul Limitations
2.1.1 Latency Limitations
2.1.2 Throughput Limitations
2.2 Device Limitations
2.3 Control Channel Limitations
2.4 Alternative Solutions
2.4.1 Range Extension
2.4.2 4x2 Antenna Schemes and Multi-User MIMO
2.4.3 Release 8 Vendor-Specific Enhancements
2.4.4 Interference Cancellation
2.4.5 Remote Radio Heads
2.5 Multi-vendor Implementations
2.6 Edge of Cluster Impacts
2.7 Legacy Antenna Design Scheme Implementations
3.0 The Potential Benefits of CoMP
3.1 The Potential Benefits of Intra-site CoMP in a Homogeneous Network
3.2 The Potential Benefits of CoMP in a Homogeneous Network with High-power RRHs
3.3 The Potential Benefits of CoMP in a Heterogeneous Network with Individual Cell IDs or with a Shared Cell ID
4.0 CoMP Go-to-Market Strategies
5.0 Final thoughts
Index of Tables:
Table 1. ITU-Advanced Requirements
Index of Figures:
Figure 1. LTE Cell Average and Cell-Edge Spectral Efficiency (for a given set of assumptions)
Figure 2. Coordinated Scheduling /Coordinated Beamforming in Action
Figure 3. Joint Transmission in Action
Figure 4. Dynamic Cell Selection in Action
Figure 5. Intra-cell versus Inter-cell CoMP
Figure 6. Uplink CoMP
Figure 7. Quantifying the Transmission Time Intervals for CoMP
Figure 8. Coordinated Scheduling/Coordinated Beamforming Feedback Mechanisms and Latency Implications
Figure 9. Joint Transmission Feedback Mechanisms and Latency Implications
Figure 10. The Impact of 4x2 MIMO and the use of Multi-user MIMO on Spectral Efficiency and Edge of Cell Performance
Figure 11. The Incremental Impacts of MU-MIMO and 4x2 Antenna Schemes
Product Samples
A sample for this product is available. Please Login/Register to download this sample.
Also available
Customers who bought this item also bought
All rights reserved. © Copyright 2013 Research and Markets WWW4
Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Publishers Employment Opportunities Site Map Link to us Webmaster Affiliate Network
