Reuse efficiency in urban microcellular networks

We study how efficiently radio channel resources can be reused in urban microcellular networks (rectilinear street environments). Compared with conventional cellular networks, this kind of microcellular system introduces a markedly different propagation environment, characterized by a mix of strong line-of-sight (LOS) propagation and much weaker non-LOS propagation. We propose guidelines for site layout and reuse planning in such microcellular networks, and present numerical results showing the influences of frequency, cell size, link quality requirements, and shadow fading statistics on the reuse efficiency. For 900 MHz systems, orthogonal multiple access schemes (e.g., time division), and a typical set of system parameters, we estimate that the reuse efficiency in urban microcellular networks could be up to 50% higher than that in conventional cellular networks with 3-sector antennas