THIRD ANNUAL
ASAP '95 WORKSHOP

Performance of Interference Reducing Antenna Arrays
at Base Stations in AMPS
Cellular Networks

Abstract Adaptive antennas at base stations in Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) cellular networks can reduce interference from the first and other outer tiers of co-channel cells. We compare output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) performance (via cumulative distribution function (CDF) curves) for sector antennas employing simple diversity combining as currently used at base stations, to two candidate adaptive antenna processing methods. The simulation model used to assess performance includes Rayleigh and log-normal fading, variable multipath angle spread, variable directions of arrival for the desired signal, different reuse factors ranging from seven to three, and finally two to four element antenna arrays. Ideal performance by the interference reducing algorithms is assumed.

Our results show that significant improvements in SINR are achievable and suggest the possibility of incorporating adaptive antennas into AMPS cellular networks to improve voice quality and system Erlang capacity.