Energy-Aware Resource Allocation for Multi-Operator Cell-Free Massive MIMO in V-CRAN Architectures

2025-07-29

AI Summary

This work addresses the high energy consumption of cell-free massive MIMO systems in multi-operator virtualized cloud radio access networks (V-CRANs). To minimize the maximum total power consumption (max-TPC) across operators, we propose an energy-aware joint resource allocation framework. Methodologically, we formulate a mixed-integer programming (MIP) model that jointly optimizes access point selection, user equipment association, cloud resource allocation, and user–operator assignment. A key innovation is the introduction of a flexible cross-operator user assignment mechanism, enabling coordinated scheduling of heterogeneous resources. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme significantly reduces the system’s max-TPC and improves overall energy efficiency. The framework provides a scalable, end-to-end optimization approach for green multi-operator V-CRAN deployment.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Distributed CSP/Optimization
• Search and Optimization: Mixed Discrete/Continuous Search

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User privacy protection in personalized systems
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems

Abstract

Cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) implemented in virtualized cloud radio access networks (V-CRAN) has emerged as a promising architecture to enhance spectral efficiency (SE), network flexibility, and energy efficiency (EE) in next-generation wireless systems. In this work, we develop a holistic optimization framework for the efficient deployment of cell-free massive MIMO in V-CRAN with multiple mobile network operators (MNOs). Specifically, we formulate a set of mixed-integer programming (MIP) models to jointly optimize access point (AP) selection, user equipment (UE) association, cloud resource allocation, and MNO assignment while minimizing the maximum total power consumption (TPC) across MNOs. We consider two different scenarios based on whether UEs can be assigned to arbitrary MNOs or not. The numerical results demonstrate the impact of different deployment assumptions on power consumption, highlighting that flexible UE-MNO assignment significantly reduces TPC. The findings provide key insights into optimizing resource management in cell-free massive MIMO V-CRAN, paving the way for energy-efficient wireless network implementations.

Problem

• Optimize AP selection and UE association in V-CRAN
• Minimize total power consumption across MNOs
• Evaluate flexible UE-MNO assignment impact on energy

Innovation

• Joint optimization of AP selection and UE association
• MIP models for cloud resource allocation
• Flexible UE-MNO assignment reduces power