System level performance of cellular networks utilizing ASA/LSA mechanisms

Flexible and efficient spectrum usage in cellular communication systems is a key to meet the service demand of forthcoming 4G and 5G networks by 2020. Recent wide-band power measurements in an urban environment show that spectrum below 6 GHz is still under-utilized. Licensed shared access (LSA) is one technique which can be deployed to make use of these valuable resources. In this paper we highlight cell-planning aspects for the implementation of licensed shared access (LSA) in LTE cellular networks. Different cellular deployments are evaluated by means of system-level simulations. Numerical results show that transmit power, antenna type and orientation, as well as antenna downtilt should be carefully evaluated during the planning of spectrum sharing deployments using LSA in cellular wireless.