Macro transmission power reduction for HetNet co-channel deployments

Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) techniques are targeted to improve the system and cell-edge throughput of Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets) in LTE-Advanced systems. In order to protect pico UEs from the strong macro interference, the macro eNB can either stop data transmission or simply reduce the transmission power during certain subframes. In this paper, we investigate the impact of reducing the transmission power in LTE HetNets. We evaluate the tradeoff among macro transmission power, cell load and system and cell-edge throughput, with bursty and non-bursty traffic. Moreover, we address some of the technical and standardization challenges related to having a time-varying transmission power. Based on the results, we provide guidance on how to best configure the network to achieve the full potential of the eICIC concept in dynamically changing environments.