Comparison of LTE eMBMS and DVB-NGH mobile TV solutions from an energy consumption perspective

Abstract

The power demand of future wireless networks is predicted to dramatically increase. This energy consumption issue, if unaddressed, will restrict the roll-out of many new services. Based on this fact, we try in this paper to study and compare the energy consumption of the most popular mobile TV delivery solutions: LTE eMBMS and DVB-NGH. We study the energy consumption in a region where Mobile TV is delivered by a standalone LTE network and a standalone DVB-NGH transmitter or by a cooperative LTE/DVB network. By cooperation we mean that the mobile TV coverage is ensured by DVB in the region surrounding a broadcasting tower and by LTE otherwise. Our work is a simulation one and can be used as an offline study that enables the operators to configure their networks towards a Green Mobile TV delivery. Results shows that the cooperation will decrease the power consumption of at least one of the cooperative operators (LTE and/or DVB) and thus it will certainly decrease the overall power consumption in the service region for a high level Green Mobile TV solution.