Abstract
Technology has seamlessly integrated into our lives, transforming how we live, work, and interact. From refrigerators notifying us of missing groceries to smartphones serving as personal assistants, navigation tools, and entertainment hubs, innovation is always at our fingertips. To ensure such a seamless integration of the growing number of applications, these technologies rely heavily on advanced cellular infrastructures. However, the rapid expansion of connected applications is generating massive data traffic, raising significant concerns about energy consumption and, ultimately, the environmental sustainability of these networks. In this thesis, we investigate how cooperation within and among mobile networks can enhance sustainability by improving the energy efficiency and reducing overall power consumption.
First, we analyse cooperation within a mobile network in the form of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and joint transmission coordinated multipoint (JT-CoMP) NOMA. By introducing a new power consumption model, PCM-κ, which accounts for the often-overlooked overhead of successive interference cancellation, we provide a more realistic evaluation of NOMA and JT-CoMP NOMA. Our numerical investigation shows that simplistic PCMs tend to overestimate the energy efficiency of the network and result in lower throughput and energy efficiency when users have lower rate requirements.
In this thesis, we also examine cooperation among networks through active infrastructure sharing among mobile network operators (MNOs) on a country scale, referred to as national roaming (NR). Using Dutch network data, our analysis shows that NR can yield significant energy savings.
Finally, we consider a future scenario combining both forms of cooperation, evaluating technologies such as cell-free massive MIMO and neutral hosts. A lamppost-based deployment with wireless fronthaul is studied, highlighting how CPU sharing among operators can consolidate load and enable low-power modes. This analysis offers a forward-looking perspective on how cooperative architectures can enhance energy sustainability in next-generation networks.
First, we analyse cooperation within a mobile network in the form of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and joint transmission coordinated multipoint (JT-CoMP) NOMA. By introducing a new power consumption model, PCM-κ, which accounts for the often-overlooked overhead of successive interference cancellation, we provide a more realistic evaluation of NOMA and JT-CoMP NOMA. Our numerical investigation shows that simplistic PCMs tend to overestimate the energy efficiency of the network and result in lower throughput and energy efficiency when users have lower rate requirements.
In this thesis, we also examine cooperation among networks through active infrastructure sharing among mobile network operators (MNOs) on a country scale, referred to as national roaming (NR). Using Dutch network data, our analysis shows that NR can yield significant energy savings.
Finally, we consider a future scenario combining both forms of cooperation, evaluating technologies such as cell-free massive MIMO and neutral hosts. A lamppost-based deployment with wireless fronthaul is studied, highlighting how CPU sharing among operators can consolidate load and enable low-power modes. This analysis offers a forward-looking perspective on how cooperative architectures can enhance energy sustainability in next-generation networks.
| Original language | English |
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| Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
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| Supervisors/Advisors |
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| Award date | 27 Aug 2025 |
| Place of Publication | Enschede |
| Publisher | |
| Print ISBNs | 978-90-365-6775-6 |
| Electronic ISBNs | 978-90-365-6776-3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Aug 2025 |