In modern wireless communications systems, a plurality of cells or base stations may be arranged into a cluster, with each cell having multiple transmit antennas and serving a number of users. In Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, the spectrum is divided into subcarriers in frequency domain and OFDM symbols in the time domain. One resource element is typically defined by the time-frequency resource within one subcarrier and one OFDM symbol. Wireless networks generally have a finite number of resource elements over which to communicate data, with the network's throughput capacity generally corresponding to the collective carrying capacity of the network's resource elements.
The increasing demand for wireless bandwidth is expected to push the limits of macro-cell deployment in next-generation networks. As such, next-generation networks may be configured to support small-cell deployment to increase data capacity, while still meeting customer's quality of service expectations and operators' requirements for cost-effective service delivery. Small-cells generally are low-power wireless access points that operate in a licensed spectrum. Small-cells provide improved cellular coverage, capacity and applications for homes and businesses, as well as metropolitan and rural public spaces. Different types of small-cells include, generally from smallest size to largest size, femtocells, pico-cells, metro-cells and micro-cells.