System-Level Simulation Suite for the Design of mmWave-Over-Fiber-Based Distributed Antenna Systems

Although challenging propagation conditions reduce its reliability, the mmWave spectrum is considered a cornerstone of (beyond-)5G networks. Recently, distributed antenna systems (DASs) surrounding the mobile users with multiple remote antenna units (RAUs) interconnected by mmWave-over-fiber technology were identified as a prime candidate to unlock high throughput and reliable coverage. This article proposes a dedicated simulation suite facilitating the deployment of such a mmWave-over-fiber-based DAS by accurately predicting system-level performance and enabling time-efficient optimization of the hardware configuration, including the RAUs, the central office (CO), and the signal processing units, toward the target application. It incorporates accurate models for the mmWave-over-fiber link and the amplifiers, including nonlinear distortion and noise, full-wave electromagnetic models for the antenna front-ends, and analytical models for the wireless channel. The simulation suite is validated by a measurement campaign, not only focusing on a single mobile user served by a fixed-beam RAU but also considering a multibeam RAU serving two users simultaneously by means of two independent mmWave-over-fiber links. The model accurately predicts up- and downlink quality over a wide range of user positions, different system parameters, and also accurately captures inter-user interference.