Analysis and performance evaluation of the next generation wireless networks

Exponential growth in demand for high bandwidth applications such as multimedia in cellular networks has triggered the need for development of new technologies capable of providing the required high-bandwidth, reliable links in wireless environments. However, the available spectrum is a limited natural resource and the current technologies have been shown to have low spectrum efficiency. To improve the spectrum efficiency, heterogeneous networks are considered as a viable solution. They are composed of a mix of macro, pico, femto and relay base-stations that improve the spectrum efficiency and throughput performance of the system. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of these emerging technologies. This chapter describes the main characteristics and performance requirements that the next generation networks must fulfill. Particularly, the focus is on Long Term Evolution (LTE)/LTE-Advanced technologies where some possible improvements and challenges are explained. Subsequently, the analytical methods and simulation techniques to evaluate the performance of the next generation heterogeneous networks are discussed. Finally, the simulation results for some example scenarios are provided and discussed.