Enhancing Small-Cell Capacity with Wireless Backhaul

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper "Enhancing Small Cell Capacity with Wireless Backhaul" deals with capacity calculations in small cells that are used to enhance the capacity of larger cells. In general, the paper is well written with solid mathematical formulation. However, I have some minor comments prior publication:

1) The are no details on the used channel model. Do you consider Rayleigh fading? If yes, what is the central carrier frequency?

2) In Table 1. System Parameters it is written that bandwidth of resource block is 180KHz. Therefore do you assume 12 subarriers per resource block with 15KHz bandwidth per subcarrier? As this is not quite clear in the manuscript. 

3) Please elaborate on some inconsistencies among the theoritical and simulation results in Figure 8, especially for increased UE density.

4) It would be interesting examine the performance of microcells for additional power transmission thresholds, apart from the already established in 1W for microcells.

5) Litterature review should be updated with more recent works, as there is only one work from 2023.

Author Response

Please see the attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The research paper presents an innovative approach to address the challenge of escalating cellular data service demands through the deployment of hyper-dense small cells. The primary focus is on overcoming the limitations of backhaul capacity, which is identified as a potential bottleneck during peak traffic periods. By proposing a scheme that allows small cells to leverage microcell links for wireless backhaul, the paper aims to reduce both deployment and operational costs associated with traditional backhaul solutions.

The methodology is grounded in stochastic geometry, which provides a mathematical framework to derive analytical expressions for network capacity when utilizing in-band and out-band wireless backhaul configurations. These theoretical models are crucial for understanding the potential improvements in network performance and are substantiated by simulation results presented within the paper.

One of the significant contributions of this work is its optimized scheme, which demonstrates considerable enhancement in network performance, especially under scenarios of high traffic load. This suggests that the proposed approach not only addresses the immediate issue of backhaul capacity constraints but also offers a scalable solution to accommodate growing data service requirements.

However, while the paper appears to offer a robust solution, the authors could be reviewing some critical examination of certain aspects:

§  Validation and Simulation: Details on the simulation environment, assumptions made, and the parameters used are crucial for assessing the reliability and applicability of the results. Understanding these aspects can help in evaluating the practical feasibility of the proposed scheme.

§  Scalability and Deployment: The paper should discuss the scalability of the proposed solution in real-world scenarios, considering the varied urban and rural landscapes. Additionally, insights into the deployment challenges and potential strategies to mitigate them would be valuable.

§  Impact on Existing Infrastructure: The integration of small cells with microcell links could have implications for existing cellular infrastructure. The paper should address potential conflicts or compatibility issues and suggest ways to harmonize the new scheme with current networks.

In conclusion, the paper presents a promising solution to a pressing problem in cellular networks, with strong theoretical underpinnings and positive simulation results.

Author Response

Please see the attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf