Carrier allocation for Hybrid Satellite-Terrestrial Backhaul networks

In this paper, we consider the problem of carrier allocation in Hybrid Satellite-Terrestrial Backhaul (HSTB) networks, where the satellite segment and the terrestrial backhaul network are integrated in a seamless manner. To enhance the overall spectral efficiency of the backhaul network, we consider that both terrestrial and satellite segments operate in the 17.7–19.7 GHz band, where the sharing between Fixed-Service (FS) microwave links and satellite communications is allowed. Due to sharing the same spectrum, both systems are subject to interference constraints which should be properly taken into account in the carrier allocation algorithm design. Focusing on sum-rate as the key performance indicator, we formulate the underlying optimization problem which tends to be NP-hard. To overcome this hurdle, we propose to tackle the satellite and the terrestrial carrier allocation in a sequential manner. The proposed algorithm is compared and validated using numerical results considering a realistic topology and system parameters.