Multiuser diversity in channels with limited scatterers

Multiuser diversity scheduling is studied in a single cell system with a limited scatterers channel. The scheduler implements the proportional fairness algorithm with infinite time constant, serving at each scheduling instant the user with the maximum short term fading coefficient. The limits of multiuser diversity gains due to the bounded support of the limited scatterers channel are explored by evaluating the average system capacity and the corresponding required transmitted energy per transmitted bit. The bounded support of the limited scatterers channel results in a capacity saturation as user population size grows even though the number of channel scatterers - the channel richness - is assumed to grow proportionally with the number of users.