Enhanced capacity & coverage by Wi-Fi LTE Integration

TL;DR

This paper explores Wi-Fi LTE integration techniques to improve hotspot capacity and coverage by using uplink redirection and different integration options, addressing limitations of Wi-Fi in dense user environments.

Contribution

It introduces three integration options—loose, tight, and hybrid—for enhancing Wi-Fi hotspot capacity and coverage through uplink traffic diversion.

Findings

Uplink redirection improves hotspot range and efficiency.

Hybrid integration offers a balanced solution for capacity enhancement.

Different integration strategies suit various deployment scenarios.

Abstract

Wi-Fi provides cost-effective data capacity at hotspots in conjunction with broadband cellular networks. The hotspots are required to capture a large number of users and provide high data rates. Data rates, over the Wi-Fi interface, are influenced by the media access protocol, which loses throughput due to delays and unintended collisions when a large number of users are active. The hotspot range which determines the number of users, that can associate, is limited by the lower power of the client rather than the access point. By diverting the traffic destined to the access point via another access network, both range and efficiency can be improved. This uplink redirection or diversion is achieved by simultaneous use of the Wi-Fi and LTE radio interfaces. Three options - loose, tight, and hybrid integration are presented towards providing enhanced capacity and coverage.