Performance evaluation of Heterogeneous Networks schemes in LTE networks

3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a standard for wireless communications to achieve high spectral efficiency, high peak data rates, as well as flexibility in frequency and bandwidth. By using frequency reuse of one in LTE networks, high spectral efficiency is achieved. However, the Inter-Cell Interference (ICI) resulted from the frequency reuse of one is a main limitation in these networks. Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets) has been proposed as an Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) technique in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) based LTE networks. HetNets use different size of eNodeBs in each cell in such a way cell-edge throughput is increased. This paper focuses on evaluating a number of HetNet schemes. A broad comparison among different schemes is performed by using a proposed mechanism which depends on Monte Carlo simulations. Simulation results show that that cell-edge throughput can be increased but only at certain bandwidth division schemes between Macro and Pico nodes. However, the throughput can further increase by using Almost Blank Sub-frames (ABS), in which only the Pico nodes transmit data.