Localization performance in cellular networks

When the Global Positioning System is unavailable, cellular networks become the dominant vehicle for positioning. However, no tractable approach exists for gaining general insights into localization performance in such networks. Instead, analysis is often done using deterministic network models or with complex system-level simulations, resulting in highly context-specific insights, which do not translate well to random network topologies. In this paper, we motivate and introduce a new approach for analyzing localization performance in cellular networks using tools from point process theory and stochastic geometry. After presenting the model, easy-to-use expressions are derived for the distributions of base station hearability, a metric which is closely-related to localization performance, with and without base station coordination.