I. Introduction
Efficient scheduling and resource allocation for packet transmissions over dense wireless cellular network systems, using small cell deployments, are tasks of primary importance. Fractional frequency reuse (FFR) schemes (see [1]) serve as effective methods for mitigating the impact of intercell interference signals on the reception of messages targeted to and originating by mobiles that reside near the edge of a cell. FFR schemes are readily implementable, requiring no base station (BS) or mobile modifications, in that they employ control procedures that are embedded with current cellular system standards based implementations. Such operations have been made part of the intercell interference coordination scheme that has been introduced in Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) release 8 [2]. Under an FFR scheme, each cell is partitioned into two zones, identified as interior and exterior regions. Mobiles located in an interior (or exterior) region are scheduled by using a reuse-1 (or reuse-3) scheme. For a dynamic FFR scheme, FFR parameters are controlled dynamically by monitoring the cell's channel quality and traffic loading conditions [3]– [5]. In turn, under a static FFR scheme, system parameters are adjusted in accordance with longer term statistics collected by a system's management station [6].