Strong converse theorems for classes of multimessage multicast networks: A Rényi divergence approach

This paper establishes that the strong converse holds for some classes of discrete memoryless multimessage multicast networks (DM-MMNs) whose corresponding cut-set bounds are tight, i.e., coincide with the set of achievable rate tuples. The strong converse for these classes of DM-MMNs implies that all sequences of codes with rate tuples belonging to the exterior of the cut-set bound have average error probabilities that tend to one. Examples in the classes of DM-MMNs include wireless erasure networks, DM-MMNs consisting of independent discrete memoryless channels (DMCs), and single-destination DM-MMNs consisting of independent DMCs with destination feedback. Our proof technique leverages the properties of the Rényi divergence.