Distributed MIMO With 5G NR Signals: A Standard-Compliant Evaluation

This manuscript investigates the implementation of a distributed multiple-input multiple-output (D-MIMO) system within the New Radio (NR) architecture framework, emphasizing its feasibility and performance using standard-compliant signals. The study presents a comprehensive evaluation of D-MIMO in comparison to co-located MIMO, focusing on key aspects such as fronthaul requirements, precoding, pilot signaling, OFDM modulation and channel modeling under practical deployment scenarios. Leveraging numerical simulations aligned with the NR physical layer, the results indicate substantial gains in system performance: the distributed configuration achieves a notable increase in sum rates and one order of magnitude improvement in the data rates experienced by users in poor channel conditions. We assume a Urban Macrocell (UMa) non-line-of-sight model (NLoS), from 3GPP, and simulate cell areas of 0.5 × 0.5, 1×1, and 2×2 square kilometers. The outer loop link adaptation (OLLA) algorithm is applied to dynamically change the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) according to the channel conditions. Unlike previous studies, which often overlook NR compliance, this work ensures alignment with New Radio standards in the comparison between D-MIMO and co-located MIMO.