Exact BER performance of asynchronous MC-DS-CDMA over fading channels [Transactions Letters]

In this contribution an accurate average Bit Error Rate (BER) formula is derived for MC-DS-CDMA in the context of asynchronous transmissions and random spreading sequences. We consider a flat Nakagami-m fading channel for each subcarrier. Our analysis is based on the Characteristic Function (CF) and does not rely on any assumption concerning the statistical behavior of the interference. We develop a new closed-form expression for the conditional CF of the inter-carrier interference and provide a procedure for calculating the exact BER expressed in the form of a single numerical integration. The accuracy of the Standard Gaussian Approximation (SGA) technique is also evaluated. Link-level results confirm the accuracy of the SGA for most practical conditions.