Performance evaluation of radio access network overloading from machine type communications in LTE-A networks

Featuring massive number of devices, Machine Type Communications (MTC) poses great challenges for radio access network (RAN) with its overloading problem that has been aggressively addressed by 3GPP as an essential working item. In this article, we first introduce random access procedure in LTE-A. Then we address the issue of RACH overload coming from massive number of MTC devices. To resolve RAN overload, several easy-to-implement RAN level solutions are proposed. Based on simulation of MTC in Long Term Evolution- Advanced (LTE-A) architecture, we compare the overload resolution capability of different overload resolution mechanisms and conclude with observations for further solution design.