Faster-Than-Nyquist Signaling

TLDR

FTN signaling raises a number of basic issues in communication theory and practice. This paper surveys faster‑than‑Nyquist (FTN) signaling, an extension of ordinary linear modulation that sends pulses faster, breaking orthogonality. FTN signaling is implemented by transmitting pulses faster than the Nyquist rate, making them non‑orthogonal, and can be applied to OFDM and QAM. FTN signaling can transmit up to twice the bits of ordinary modulation at the same bit energy, spectrum, and error rate, its Shannon capacity is considerably higher, and performance results for practical systems are presented.

Abstract

In this paper, we survey faster-than-Nyquist (FTN) signaling, an extension of ordinary linear modulation in which the usual data bearing pulses are simply sent faster, and consequently are no longer orthogonal. Far from a disadvantage, this innovation can transmit up to twice the bits as ordinary modulation at the same bit energy, spectrum, and error rate. The method is directly applicable to orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signaling. Performance results for a number of practical systems are presented. FTN signaling raises a number of basic issues in communication theory and practice. The Shannon capacity of the signals is considerably higher.