System performance of multi-sector smart antenna base stations for WCDMA

In this paper, a novel approach is proposed for system level simulation of both beamforming and diversity antennas for WCDMA base stations. In order to obtain more accurate system level performance, the proposed approach takes into account semi-analytical link level characteristics of beamforming and diversity antennas. By including link level parameters such as multiple diversity branches, sectorisation gain pattern, power control algorithms together with several beamforming algorithms, the proposed system level simulator enables the system level optimisation of capacity. Capacity comparisons between several antenna configurations are presented for both uplink and downlink.