W-CDMA downlink performance analysis

This paper gives a detailed analysis of the downlink performance in a CDMA system, more precisely for the radio interface of the W-CDMA. This analysis allows one to treat the capacity and coverage issues in a formal way, as well as to identify key parameters specific of the CDMA technology, leading to a better understanding of the performance of the downlink. An expression for downlink cell load is derived, allowing an analytical approach towards dimensioning.