On the stability of the randomized slotted ALOHA protocol

This paper examines the stability of the randomized slotted ALOHA (RSA) protocol. A Markov chain for a finite number of single buffer users is derived and this is complemented by a drift analysis under different estimated loads. Results show that unlike many random access schemes, RSA possesses exactly one equilibrium point even when the channel load estimate is inaccurate. The protocol can also achieve stable throughput without the need for feedback information.