This paper provides new insights into the performance of Uplink and Downlink Splitting (UDS) in highly loaded wireless communication systems, in terms of both serving nodes and the number of users with high traffic activity. The study puts special focus on the gains that UDS could bring in terms of SINR and throughput when compared with systems with cell range expansion (CRE) in the classic downlink based cell association. CRE not only helps to offload users from macro- to pico-eNBs, but also improves UL service. Instead of an aggregated throughput analysis, a detailed classification of users is performed to figure out the causes of users’ gain or loss after applying each strategy at the system level. Results show marginal gains of a pure path loss based UDS when compared with the intrinsic UL gains of CRE. Given the extra flexibility in radio resource management that splitting both links could bring, using an individual UL adjustable cell offset appears to be an interesting strategy to allow for a finer control of UL interference. The dependency of UDS performance with small cell density has also been a matter of study. Results show that the gains of UDS do decrease after a certain density of pico-cells is surpassed.

Peer Reviewed