Macro diversity in Cellular Networks with Random Blockages

TL;DR

This paper develops a framework to analyze how macrodiversity in cellular networks can improve connectivity reliability in the presence of correlated blockages, especially considering the size of blocking objects and base station density.

Contribution

It introduces a novel probabilistic model for LOS connectivity considering correlated blockages and analyzes the impact of blockage size and BS density on system reliability.

Findings

Macrodiversity increases LOS probability with multiple BSs.

Small blocking objects lead to higher macrodiversity gains.

BS density must scale quadratically with blockage density for reliability.

Abstract

Blocking objects (blockages) between a transmitter and receiver cause wireless communication links to transition from line-of-sight (LOS) to non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation, which can greatly reduce the received power, particularly at higher frequencies such as millimeter wave (mmWave). We consider a cellular network in which a mobile user attempts to connect to two or more base stations (BSs) simultaneously, to increase the probability of at least one LOS link, which is a form of macrodiversity. We develop a framework for determining the LOS probability as a function of the number of BSs, when taking into account the correlation between blockages: for example, a single blockage close to the device -- including the user's own body -- could block multiple BSs. We consider the impact of the size of blocking objects on the system reliability probability and show that macrodiversity gains are higher when the blocking objects are small. We also show that the BS density must scale as the square of the blockage density to maintain a given level of reliability.