Throughput of low-power network MIMO cellular systems

This paper investigates the uplink throughput of network MIMO cellular systems at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The network is modeled according to Wyner´s extended cellular model, with intracell orthogonal medium access control. We derive analytical expressions for the two key low SNR parameters; namely, the minimum required E_b/N₀ for reliable communications and the wideband slope, assuming noncooperative or joint (cooperative) decoding at the base stations. These results provide strong motivation for base-station cooperation in low power networked MIMO systems, since it can significantly improve capacity by simultaneously reducing the minimum required E_b/N₀ and increasing the wideband slope.