Description:

For an LTE operator that needs to significantly increase network capacity, there are two complementary options of offloading macro user traffic – Using LTE Advanced HetNets with small cells (pico cells) in the same channel as macro cells and using 802.11n Wi-Fi access points (APs) in unlicensed spectrum. This paper compares the system performance of complementing LTE macro cells with low power nodes (co-channel pico cells and Wi-Fi APs in unlicensed spectrum) using different network layouts, different carrier frequencies for LTE and Wi-Fi, and different types of user distributions within the network.