QoS-Aware Downlink Scheduling Algorithm for LTE Networks: A Case Study on Edge Users

Abstract

4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the state of the art wireless mobile broadband technology. It makes use of the OFDM technology to offer high speed and provides the system resources both in time and frequency domain. A scheduling algorithm running on the base station holds the allocation of these resources. In this paper, the performance of existing downlink scheduling algorithms has been investigated in two ways. First, the performance of the algorithms has been investigated in terms of throughput and fairness metrics. Second, a new quality of service-aware (QoS-aware) fairness criterion, which accepts that the system is fair if it can provide the users with the network traffic speeds that they demand, has been proposed and evaluated. In addition, a novel QoS-aware downlink-scheduling algorithm, which increases the QoS-aware fairness and overall throughput of the edge users, has been proposed.