Uplink Performance Evaluation of Massive MU-MIMO Systems

Abstract: The present paper deals with an OFDM-based uplink within a multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) system where a massive MIMO approach is employed. In this context, the linear detectors Minimum Mean-Squared Error (MMSE), Zero Forcing (ZF) and Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) are considered and assessed. This papers includes Bit Error Rate (BER) results for uncoded QPSK/OFDM transmissions through a flat Rayleigh fading channel under the assumption of perfect power control and channel estimation. BER results are obtained through Monte Carlo simulations. Performance results are discussed in detail and we confirm the achievable "massive MIMO" effects, even for a reduced complexity detection technique, when the number of receive antennas at BS is much larger than the number of transmit antennas.