Priority-based genetic algorithm to enhance performance of NB-IoT networks

• Model the NB-IoT surge traffic under access congestion to quantify uplink delay and identify performance bottlenecks. • Benchmark the FCFS, SJF, and RR scheduling algorithms to establish baseline delay performance for comparison. • Apply K-Means and Genetic Algorithm (GA) clustering to reduce collisions and minimize queueing latency. • Propose PKR and PGAR scheduling strategies to prioritize critical devices and enhance service reliability. • Demonstrate that PGAR reduces waiting time by approximately 50% for high-priority devices and 35% for regular devices, while serving 6–15 times more devices successfully compared to FCFS. The rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the adoption of 5G and beyond networks have led to massive device connectivity, creating challenges for Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) technologies such as Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT). In NB-IoT networks, a single Base Station (BS) manages communication for multiple devices within a cell. Under typical conditions, devices send data to the BS periodically. During emergencies or extreme scenarios, such as power restoration after an outage, thousands of devices can attempt simultaneous access, causing severe congestion, latency, and packet loss. This work investigates uplink delay mitigation using conventional scheduling algorithms such as First-Come, First-Served (FCFS), Shortest Job First (SJF), and Round Robin (RR), alongside clustering techniques based on K-Means and Genetic Algorithms (GA). We further propose priority-aware methods, Priority-Based K-Means (PKR) and Priority-Based GA (PGAR), to prioritize critical communications under heavy network loads. The simulation results show that PGAR reduces the average waiting time for high-priority devices by more 50% compared to RR and serves 6 to 15 times more devices in urban, suburban, and rural environments. These findings highlight PGAR’s potential to provide low-latency, reliable service for latency-sensitive NB-IoT applications under extreme traffic conditions.