Energy efficient BSs switching in heterogeneous networks: An operator's perspective

In this paper, we address the problem of power consumption minimization in Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) of China Mobile by implementing dynamic base stations (BSs) switching operation. Particularly, considering the minimal rate requirements of users as well as the realistic power consumption model of BSs, we formulate the problem as an integer linear programming which is NP-complete. Then, to efficiently solve this problem, the Power Efficient Base Station Operation with User Association scheme (PEBUA) and Adaptive Multi-cell Coordination Algorithm for Energy Saving (AMCES) have been developed, which can be efficiently adopted in different network conditions, respectively. Simulation results verify the validity of our analysis and additionally, compared with the existing method in practice network operation, show the effectiveness of the proposed schemes. It should be noted that both of the proposed algorithms can be applied in real HetNets to save the overall power consumption without decreasing users' traffic rates, which makes our study more feasible.