Assessment of 3D network coverage performance from dense small-cell LTE

As wireless cellular networks are facing both a rapid growth of traffic demand and, in some countries, a higher public concern about field exposure, the wireless carriers are seriously considering radio network topology evolution. Deployment of small- or micro-cells, possibly as a complement to the macrocell layout, should offer high local capacity along with a reduced transmit power (at both the downlink and uplink). Network simulations assess the performance of such deployment scenarios, providing the required outcomes for elaboration of optimal strategies, engineering rules and business models. This paper presents an original suite of simulation tools based on advanced propagation models and 3-dimensional calculation of the signal-to-interference ratio (meaning calculation into the streets and into each building floor over the study area) for realistic analysis of heterogeneous macro and small-cell LTE networks in terms of coverage, spectral efficiency and total throughput. A dense urban scenario is analyzed, where the usual macro deployment scheme is completed with almost-uniformly distributed small-cells. The present study characterizes the promising improvements but also some challenging aspects of small-cell network deployments.