Interference Management in Femtocell Networks Using Distributed Opportunistic Cooperation

Femtocells are envisioned to be deployed in indoor environments in order to improve both radio coverage and spectrum efficiency. This paper focuses on the self-organization of indoor femtocells, which includes mechanisms of cooperation. In this context, we propose a solution to automatically form cooperating groups among severely interfered femtocells in order to avoid interference. A hybrid access policy is proposed and compared to the closed and open policies. Results show that, as stated in the Braess Paradox, pervasive cooperation may be detrimental, when available resources are highly contended. Conversely, in particular cases, a marginal selfish behavior of femtocells can be preferable.