Analysis of interactions between Internet data traffic characteristics and Coordinated Multipoint transmission schemes

Several studies have shown the potential of Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) transmission schemes to increase spectral efficiency. However, most CoMP algorithms are susceptible to outdated channel state information, which is a consequence of inter-eNodeB signaling over the backhaul network. User traffic variation constitutes another time-varying process which interacts with CoMP algorithms. These interactions usually are undesired and can reduce achievable CoMP gains in practical settings. We analyze these interactions using an abstract CoMP model and realistic traffic patterns. We propose two different ways to initiate coordinated transmission and present an analysis of the resulting coordination gains and transmission delays at the application layer. Our analysis reveals that traffic characteristics have significant impact on coordination gains as seen by a user.