Iterative contending-user estimation method for OFDMA wireless networks with bursty arrivals

Random access channels (RACHs) in cellular networks are normally designed for Poisson-distributed arrivals with a constant rate. Unexpected bursty arrivals may result in severely collisions in RACHs and thus, degrade users´ service qualities. This paper presents an analytical model to investigate the transient behavior of the RACHs with bursty arrivals generated in a specific time interval in OFDMA wireless networks. The proposed model considers the effect of new arrivals and the real-world implementation constraints of the OFDMA random access procedure such as periodic access characteristic, uniform random backoff policy, and power-ramping effect. The average number of contending and success mobile stations (MSs) in each random-access slot are then derived using the proposed model. The accuracy of the proposed model was verified through computer simulations and the results show the accuracy of the analysis.