The author conducted the first independent benchmark study of Massive MIMO. For this study, we tested in Dallas, Texas with the Sprint LTE TDD network (Band 41) by comparing the results of side-by-side 64T64R and 8T8R antenna systems.
Highlights of the Report include the following:
Our Thanks
We did this study with the logistical support of Accuver Americas who provided us with its suite of drive test tools. We used XCAL-Auto to remotely control and monitor the test activities with the eight remote Galaxy S8 smartphones which were located throughout the network. We used XCAL-Solo with each S8 smartphone to log the data and we used XCAP to post process and analyze the data. The takes full responsibility for the data collection and the analysis provided in the report.
Our Methodology
We logged chipset diagnostic messages on eight Galaxy S8 smartphones distributed throughout the sector (commercial and non-commercial radio channels). The selected cell site supported 8T8R or 64T64R, making it possible to compare performance with very similar conditions. The device placements included ideal locations and distributed locations with a mix of SINR. We also included mobility and the impact of device proximity as part of the analysis. Finally, we did side-by-side testing with two smartphones, one locked to 8T8R and one locked to 64T64R to look at link budget comparisons.
The Results
We observed up to a 3.4x increase in downlink sector throughput and up to an 8.9x increase in the uplink sector throughput versus 8T8R (obviously the gain is substantially higher relative to 2T2R). Results varied based on the test conditions that we identified. Link budget tests revealed close to a triple-digit improvement in uplink data speeds. Preliminary results for the downlink also showed strong gains. Future improvements in 64T64R are forthcoming based on likely vendor product roadmaps.
A Must Read
This report is a "must read" for any organization interested in MassiveMIMO and its implications for increasing spectral efficiency, either withLTE or with 5G mid-band deployments.
Table of Contents
1.0 Executive Summary
2.0 Key Observations
3.0 MU-MIMO Test Results Analysis
3.1 64T64R with MU-MIMO Versus 8T8R with Optimal Conditions
3.1.1 Non-Commercial Downlink Test Results
3.1.1.1 64T64R with Beamforming and Massive MIMO Results
3.1.2 Commercial Downlink Test Results
3.1.2.1 64T64R with Beamforming Results
3.1.2.2 8T8R with Beamforming Results
3.1.3 Non-Commercial Uplink Test Results
3.1.3.1 64T64R with Beamforming Results
3.2 64T64R with MU-MIMO Versus 8T8R with Distributed Mobile Devices in the Cell Sector
3.2.1 Non-Commercial Test Results
3.2.1.1 64T64R with Beamforming and Massive MIMO Test Results
3.2.1.2 8T8R with Beamforming Test Results
3.2.2 Commercial Test Results
3.2.2.1 64T64R with Beamforming and Massive MIMO Test Results
3.2.2.2 8T8R with Beamforming Test Results
3.3 One UE Mobile and Seven Stationary UEs
3.3.1 Non-Commercial Test Results
3.3.1.1 64T64R with Beamforming and Massive MIMO Test Results
3.3.2 Commercial Test Results
3.3.2.1 64T64R with Beamforming and Massive MIMO Test Results
4.0 Link Budget Test Results
5.0 Test Methodology
6.0 Final Thoughts
7.0 Appendix
Index of Figures & Tables
Figure 1. 64T64R versus 8T8R Downlink Sector Throughput in a 20 MHz Channel – 8 mobile devices with optimal conditions
Figure 2. 64T64R versus 8T8R Uplink Sector Throughput in a 20 MHz Channel – 8 mobile devices with optimal conditions
Figure 3. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate Throughput
Figure 4. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate RB Allocations with MIMO Layers
Figure 5. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 6. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 7. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 8. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 9. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 10. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput
Figure 11. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 12. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 13. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 14. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate Throughput
Figure 15. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate RB Allocations with MIMO Layers
Figure 16. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 17. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 18. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 19. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 20. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 21. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput – our eight devices only
Figure 22. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 23. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 24. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 25. 8T8R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 26. 8T8R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 27. 8T8R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 28. 8T8R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 29. 8T8R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 30. 8T8R Aggregate Sector Throughput – our eight devices only
Figure 31. 8T8R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 32. 8T8R Device Layers by UE
Figure 33. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate Throughput
Figure 34. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate RB Allocation
Figure 35. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 36. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 37. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 38. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput
Figure 39. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 40. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 41. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate Throughput
Figure 42. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate RB Allocations with MIMO Layers
Figure 43. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 44. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 45. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 46. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 47. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 48. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput
Figure 49. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 50. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 51. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 52. 8T8R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 53. 8T8R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 54. 8T8R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 55. 8T8R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 56. 8T8R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 57. 8T8R Aggregate Sector Throughput
Figure 58. 8T8R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 59. 8T8R Device Layers by UE
Figure 60. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate Throughput
Figure 61. 64T64R Versus 8T8R Aggregate RB Allocations with MIMO Layers
Figure 62. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 63. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 64. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 65. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 66. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 67. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput – our eight devices only
Figure 68. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 69. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 70. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 71. 8T8R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 72. 8T8R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 73. 8T8R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 74. 8T8R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 75. 8T8R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 76. 8T8R Aggregate Sector Throughput – our 8 devices only
Figure 77. 8T8R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 78. 8T8R Device Layers by UE
Figure 79. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 80. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 81. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 82. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 83. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 84. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput
Figure 85. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 86. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 87. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 88. UE #5 Pairing Utilization Rate
Figure 89. UE Data Speeds Time Series
Figure 90. UE Data Speeds Time Series
Figure 91. UE RB Allocation Time Series
Figure 92. UE RB Allocation Time Series
Figure 93. UE Location
Figure 94. Impact of UE Proximity
Figure 95. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 96. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 97. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 98. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 99. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput – our 8 devices only
Figure 100. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 101. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 102. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 103. UE #5 Pairing Utilization Rate
Figure 104. UE #5 Vehicular Speed
Figure 105. Link Budget Drive Route
Figure 106. Uplink Data Speeds – 8T8R and 64T64R
Figure 107. Uplink Data Speeds Versus Downlink RSRP – 8T8R and 64T64R
Figure 108. Downlink Data Speeds – 8T8R and 64T64R
Figure 109. XCAL-Auto in Action
Figure 110. XCAL-Solo in Action
Figure 111. 8T8R and 64T64R Cell Site
Figure 112. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 113. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 114. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 115. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 116. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 117. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput
Figure 118. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 119. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 120. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 121. 64T64R Mobile Device Locations
Figure 122. 64T64R Mobile Device RSRP and SINR
Figure 123. 64T64R Mobile Device Modulation Scheme Distribution
Figure 124. 64T64R Mobile Device MCS Values
Figure 125. 64T64R Mobile Device PHY and MAC Data Rates by UE
Figure 126. 64T64R Aggregate Sector Throughput
Figure 127. 64T64R RB Allocations by UE
Figure 128. 64T64R Device Pairing Results by UE
Figure 129. 8-Layer MU-MIMO Utilization Rate
Figure 130. UE Data Speeds Time Series
Figure 131. UE RB Allocation Time Series
Samples
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Companies Mentioned
- Accuver Americas
- Sprint
