On Multi-Cell Uplink-Downlink Duality with Treating Inter-Cell Interference as Noise

Abstract: We consider the information-theoretic optimality of treating inter-cell interference as noise in downlink cellular networks modeled as Gaussian interfering broadcast channels. Establishing a new uplink-downlink duality, we cast the problem in Gaussian interfering broadcast channels to that in Gaussian interfering multiple access channels, and characterize an achievable GDoF region under power control and treating inter-cell interference as (Gaussian) noise. We then identify conditions under which this achievable GDoF region is optimal.