Joint channel and data estimation for asynchronous GSM users

In multiple-access communication systems co-channel interference can be mitigated by applying multiuser detection instead of treating the interference as additive noise. In this paper we focus on downlink operation in a GSM-like TDMA network and investigate multiuser channel estimation and data symbol detection of two users that share the same physical channel in two adjacent cells. Such a scenario would allow a significant increase in spectral efficiency. We assume no synchronization between the base stations. Mobile terminals exploit multiple receive antennas. We propose a simple iterative receiver algorithm that performs joint channel and data estimation. The performance is evaluated by simulations.