Frame Quality-Based Versus E sub b / N sub o - Based Forward Power Control Methods for the cdma2000 Third Generation Standard

Fast forward link power control is one of several improvements offered by third generation standard cdma2000 over the well-known second generation IS-95. This paper describes each of the five forward power control methods allowed in cdma2000, wherein the slow frame quality based algorithms are similar to those of IS-95. We examine the performance of frame quality-based versus E sub b / N sub o -based (fast) power control for a typical voice traffic channel and a high data rate traffic under various geometries and a wide range of mobile station velocities. We also consider the impact of Space-Time Spreading (STS) transmit diversity along with power control. Forward link power control proves itself to be a worthwhile addition to CDMA, providing substantial gains in capacity where they are needed most, viz., at low speeds where FEC interleaving is weaker. The effect of time-correlated shadowing is also considered and experimental results suggest that actually may show additional gains hidden by conventional static (Rayleigh fading only) experiments.