System Level Comparison of Relay and RF Repeater Based Technologies in WiMAX Systems

Relay and RF repeater technologies are considered as an effective means to improve the system throughput and coverage performance of cellular OFDMA systems. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive system level comparison of relay and RF repeater based systems utilizing multiple antenna techniques. For relay-based systems we consider a novel relay mode selection procedure that allows intelligent interference avoidance within the same cell. The results show that for both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmission the relay-based system can offer both average throughput and coverage enhancements, while the repeater-based system is capable of coverage extension only. The geographical areas that are most suitable for relay or RF repeater modes are also calculated through system level analysis.