Evaluation of a Cell Selection Framework for Radio Access Networks considering Backhaul Resource Limitations

Cell selection in mobile radio access networks is mainly driven by efficient resource usage of the air interface. In this paper we add a new dimension to the cell selection problem by considering also the current occupancy of transport resources in the backhaul part of the network since, it is believed that, with the introduction of high speed services, this backhaul network can be a limiting factor. In such cases, we demonstrate that a cell selection algorithm using transport status information provides significant benefits over traditional schemes exclusively based on radio criteria, even under those scenarios where the selection of a cell other than the best radio server can be thought as not adequate in terms of radio resource management (e.g. single-layer/single-RAT deployments). The cell selection problem is analytically formulated and developed by means of a multidimensional Markov chain.