Energy-efficient Traffic Bypassing in LTE HetNets with Mobile Relays

TL;DR

This paper proposes a framework for using Mobile Relays in LTE HetNets to improve coverage, capacity, and energy efficiency for users in urban environments, including low-speed vehicles.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to exploit Mobile Relays at low speeds in urban areas for traffic bypassing and energy savings, extending beyond high-speed train scenarios.

Findings

Enhanced capacity and coverage with Mobile Relays

Significant energy savings for mobile terminals

Effective traffic bypassing in urban environments

Abstract

One of the core technologies being standardized by 3GPP for LTE-A is the introduction of Relay Nodes (RNs). RNs are intended for ensuring coverage at cell edges as well as for the provision of enhanced capacity at hot spot areas. An extension to this concept is the Mobile Relay (MR). MRs can be mounted on vehicles and the original idea is to serve users inside high speed trains thus counter fighting the inherent severe fading and vehicle penetration loss. In this work we present a framework for exploiting Mobile Relay (MRs) even at low speeds in urban environments for bypassing traffic from nearby users, either within or outside the vehicles. In particular we show that apart from increased capacity and good quality coverage this approach achieves important energy savings for the mobile terminals.