Sensitivity of multi-user filter-bank multicarrier systems to synchronization errors

In this paper we investigate the sensitivity of multiuser filter-bank multicarrier (FBMC) systems to synchronization errors in both the uplink and the downlink scenarios. In particular, the performance degradation caused by synchronization errors is evaluated analytically and with numerical simulations and compared with that of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. It is shown that, as all multicarrier systems, FBMC systems are very sensitive to synchronization errors, since timing errors and carrier frequency offsets produce intercarrier interference and interference between successive symbols. However, in an asynchronous multi-user scenario FBMC systems are more robust than OFDM systems to time and frequency misalignments among the users.