Performance analysis of load balancing in OFDMA cellular networks with inter‐cell relay

Abstract

Summary To balance and improve the resource utilization of the orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) cellular networks, we switch parts of the edge users in overloaded cell to the adjacent light‐loaded cells by using the inter‐cell relay. The efficiency of traditional load balancing method based on the cell switching is low and in some cases, will occur the collision load problem. In this paper, we propose a new load balancing scheme based on inter‐cell relay in downlink OFDMA cellular networks. Besides, we put forward a new spectrum division scheme to reduce interference and improve spectrum efficiency. According to the formulas derived from the model we established, we can obtain the signal interference ratio and further to calculate the amount of remaining subcarrier and the throughput of the system. Finally, through numerical calculation and simulation, the result shows that the load balancing and spectrum division schemes can remit the resource stress of the overloaded cell and improve the spectrum utilization in adjacent cells.