Performance Analysis and Simulation of Millimeter Wave Cell-Free mMIMO Networks

Abstract 5G networks and beyond can provide high data rate for the served users. Small cells, massive multiple input multiple outputs (mMIMO) as well as working in millimeter wave bands are emerging tools toward empowering 5G and beyond networks. The cellular mMIMO networks can provide high data rate for users, however their performance is not satisfied for the cell-edge users and shadowed users. Fortunately, the cell-Free mMIMO network can provide a satisfied performance for all users even if they are in shadowed areas or at cell edges. The distributed access points (APs) through the coverage area can allow users to get benefit of the best serving AP. Furthermore, the users can have services anywhere due to the existence of one AP at least. The cell-Free mMIMO networks can provide a high throughput when they are operated in the millimeter wave bands due to the high available bandwidth. The operation in millimeter wave bands can let the 5G networks and beyond have a high data rate. Therefore, this paper gives a great attention to the millimeter wave bands. In this paper, the performance of the cell-Free mMIMO network, operating in the millimeter wave bands, is mathematically evaluated and simulated. The performance can include the spectral efficiency (SE), bit error rate (BER), and energy efficiency (EE). It is observed that the centralized cooperation among the APs, level 4, can provide a high SE and EE even if the maximal ratio combining (MRC) is applied. Moreover, the cell-Free four cooperation levels can perform better than cellular mMIMO when the millimeter wave non-line-of-sight (NLOS) models are applied.