Exponential Growth in Network Load Factors: A Computationally Efficient Solution

The exponential growth of cellular networks, particularly with increasing numbers of small base stations (SBSs), poses a significant challenge for energy efficiency. The traditional approach of energy-efficient transmission (ES) grows exponentially along with the number of SBSs, leading to an almost unmanageable search space. However, our proposed solution stands out by efficiently offloading traffic from the medium-sized base stations (MBSs) to the high altitude platform stations (HAPS), ensuring that the quality of service (QoS) is maintained while minimizing energy consumption.
To address this challenge, we need to consider two limitations: (1) the MBS and HAPS load factors should be less than 1 to ensure they can serve offloaded traffic, and (2) a threshold on the load factor needs to be established to determine when to switch SBSs ON/OFF. By doing so, we can achieve an optimal state vector for switching and minimize power consumption while meeting QoS requirements.
In contrast to other methods, our approach demonstrates its capacity to handle increasing traffic demand more effectively. Figure 3 illustrates the network’s total and grid power consumption for different numbers of SBSs, showing an upward trend with growing numbers of SBSs. However, this increase in SBS numbers allows for serving more traffic, which is a significant advantage of our proposed solution.
To put it simply, our solution is like a smart traffic manager that optimizes the flow of traffic in a city to minimize congestion and reduce energy consumption. By offloading traffic from MBSs to HAPS, we can ensure that the network can handle growing demand while keeping energy consumption under control.
In conclusion, energy efficiency is a critical challenge for cellular networks as they grow exponentially. Our proposed solution offers an efficient approach to offload traffic from MBSs to HAPS, ensuring that QoS is maintained while minimizing energy consumption. By adopting this approach, we can create more sustainable and environmentally friendly cellular networks.