Inter Cell Interference Management Strategies in Dense Small Cell 5G Networks

Abstract

As the number of smart and connected devices increases, the need to explore higher frequency bands in the radio spectrum also grows. While the existing wireless communication networks mostly employ carrier frequencies below 5 GHz, the future networks are expected to use the spectrum above 30 GHz. But above 30 GHz, the channel attenuation is several times higher than the attenuation for carriers less than 5 GHz. Moreover, as the frequency increases, multipath propagation reduces and line of sight propagation becomes more significant.  To overcome these challenges, cell radius must be reduced and carrier frequencies must be reused more often. This will lead to interference between cells which are in close vicinity and which use same carrier frequencies. Most of the current interference management techniques are for sparse wireless communication networks. In this paper, we present various strategies to overcome inter cell interference in dense 5G small cell networks. These strategies are based on power allocation strategies, machine learning algorithms, game theory, convex optimization etc. These techniques can significantly reduce inter cell interference and reduce the probability of error in in future 5G networks. Finally, we present the summary of the discussion as conclusion and future scope.