Simulation Model for Compatibility between LTE-Advanced and Digital Broadcasting in the Digital Dividend Band

The switch from analog to digital television broadcasting (DB) has freed up a newly available spectrum called the digital dividend (DD) band. This band is expected to be used for both International Mobile Telecommunication-Advanced (IMT-A) and terrestrial DB, which could lead to performance degradation for both services. In this study, a simulation model is proposed to identify the requirements for coexistence between the new system (i.e., IMT-A) and the primary system (i.e., DB) in the DD band. Our model evaluates the compatibility between the two services by considering a feasible spectrum allocation: (i) the frequency plan for DB recommended by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2006 and (ii) the European preferred harmonized spectrum for mobile channel assignment proposed in 2009. Using the Monte Carlo method, we quantify the minimum distance between the systems to ensure reliable services for a given frequency guard band. We also propose a practical guideline for efficient spectrum sharing, which will increase the efficiency of DD spectrum usage between administrations. Unlike the previous studies where the services can coexist in all adjacent channels, our results show that coexistence is possible for a limited number of adjacent channels and for a specific sharing scenario.