Performance of MIMO Assisted OFDM in 4G Networks

In recent years there has been a paradigm shift from voice centric to data centric wireless communication with data transmission greatly exceeding voice transmission in most developed markets. This phenomenon has caused anxiety in the operators worldwide to enhance the capacity of their wireless networks. Coupled with the demand for high data rate wireless transmission, the increased capacity requirement has prompted the operators and researchers to explore various options to achieve this end. The transition from 3G (Third generation) to 4G (Fourth generation) is defined by the need for increased data rate. Multiple -input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless technology in combination with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is an attractive air-interface solution to meet the demands of 4G networks. MIMO provides a capacity advantage over multi-path channel while OFDM is particularly suited for high data rate wireless transmission which is also resistant to multipath fading. This paper provides an overview of the basics of MIMO-OFDM technology and focuses on performance in Fourth generation (4G) standard like Long Term Evolution (LTE). The challenges and potential research areas are proposed.