Modeling Unreliable LSA Operation in 3GPP LTE Cellular Networks

Presently, we observe an unprecedented growth of traffic volumes in modern cellular networks. Consequently, to effectively meet the impeding capacity crunch, current spectrum bands can be extended by using LSA (Licensed Shared Access) - the promising technology that allows an operator to lease additional frequency bands in order to satisfy the increasing data rate requirements. This technology is naturally suitable for the state-of-the-art 3GPP LTE cellular networks, since it allows to flexibly control resource allocation across the network users. Owing to that, the operator can employ the LSA band whenever desired to improve area capacity and increase data rate. However, due to the fact that the LSA band may be unexpectedly revoked by its original owner, there exists a certain chance of degradation in system performance and user service quality. This paper focuses on studying a one-cell 3GPP LTE system over the LSA technology, with both analysis and simulations, by proposing a baseline methodology to model the unreliable operation of an LSA frequency band.