Performance of Downlink Frequency Domain Packet Scheduling for the UTRAN Long Term Evolution

In this paper we investigate the potential of downlink frequency domain packet scheduling (FDPS) for the 3GPP UTRAN long-term evolution. Utilizing frequency-domain channel quality reports, the scheduler flexibly multiplexes users on different portions of the system bandwidth. Compared to frequency-blind, but time-opportunistic scheduling, FDPS shows gains in both average system capacity and cell-edge data rates on the order of 40%. However, the FDPS performance is shown to depend significantly on the frequency-domain scheduling resolution as well as the accuracy of the channel state reports. Assuming typical urban channel profile, studies show that the scheduling resolution should preferably be as low as 375 kHz to yield significant FDPS gain with two-branch receive diversity and in 20 MHz. Further, to have convincing FDPS gain the std. of error of radio state reports needs to be kept within 1.5-2 dB