Coexistence of IoT Networks in 6G: A MAC Study for 3D NTN Architectures

In the upcoming 6G systems, the non-terrestrial network (NTN) component will have a very relevant role and will give the rise of 3D architectures. The complexity of orchestrating heterogenous nodes will pose several challenges. The increase of available communication links for instance, will challenge operators in properly optimizing bandwidth allocation. When Internet of things (IoT) services are considered, due to their dynamic and unpredictable nature, sub-channel allocation may become even more problematic. In this paper we address a setting with two IoT services covered by two types of flying platforms. We compare a scenario in which the traffic is segregated in independent channels with a system where the two services coexist in the same band. We show how to optimize the bandwidth allocation for the former case and we provide extensive numerical simulations showing relevant metrics such as packet loss rate (PLR), throughput and spectral efficiency as well as a fairness measure.