Load analysis of the soft handoff scheme in a CDMA cellular system

In a code-division multiple-access cellular system, the soft handoff with macrodiversity is known to increase the number of available channels in each cell from the interference-reduced radio environment. This capability, however, also incurs extra load on the system due to the increase in the number of channels occupied and reserved for macrodiversity. The objective is to evaluate the associated loads, thereby enabling effective channel management. We first differentiate two kinds of loads attributable to new and handoff calls, respectively. Further dividing handoff calls into two kinds, we derive a load balance equation from which three different loads at a cell are all exactly obtained in association with the size of the soft handoff region. Comparative analysis with the case of no soft handoff region, i.e., of hard handoff, shows the appropriate proportion of channels reserved for the macrodiversity in a given soft handoff region.