Mekelle University

Ethiopian Institute of Technology-Mekelle

School of Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Stream of Electronics and Communication
Engineering
BSc Thesis Proposal Title on:
Performance Analysis of Massive MIMO System
Using Precoding Techniques
Thesis proposal submitted to Electronics and Communication
Engineering chair
Group members
Name ID number

1. Seyd Ebrahim Eitm/ur129947/10

2. Berhe Desta Eitm/ur158515/11
3. Tesfay Mulat Eitm/ur158548/11

Advisor:

March 28, 2025

Abstract
Next generation networks are expected to support large volume of data traffic generated from
emerging applications such as ultra-high speed video streaming, machine-to-machine (M2M)
communication and the Internet of things (IoT). To handle this large volume of data traffic, these
networks should employ technologies that utilize broad spectrum, offer higher cell density and
high spectral efficiency.

Massive MIMO is one of these promising technologies which have introduced the concept of
using hundreds or thousands of antennas at the base station and serving tens or hundreds of user
simultaneously. A massive number of antennas will help to concentrate the radiated energy into
smaller region hence will improve the throughput and energy efficiency of the system.

In this paper, we have investigated the performance of a massive MIMO system utilizing
different precoding techniques (MMSE, ZF, and MRT) under Rayleigh fading channel with
incomplete channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT)

Generally, MMSE gives the best performance in terms of spectral efficiency versus number of
users, spectral efficiency versus number of base station and in terms of SNR. Zero forcing (ZF)
is better than MRT in terms of spectral efficiency versus number of users, spectral efficiency
versus number of base station and in terms of SNR.

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Table of contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................i
Table of contents............................................................................................................................................ii
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................................1
2. Literature Review...................................................................................................................................2
3. Statement of the problem.......................................................................................................................5
4. Objectives..............................................................................................................................................6
4.1 Main Objective.....................................................................................................................................6
4.2 Specific Objectives..............................................................................................................................6
5. Methodology..........................................................................................................................................7
6. Scope of the Thesis................................................................................................................................8
7. Significance of the Project.....................................................................................................................8
8. Limitation of the project........................................................................................................................8
9. Expected Output.....................................................................................................................................9
10. Time table................................................................................................................................................9
References....................................................................................................................................................10

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 1. Introduction
There is a remarkable history behind the phrase “Multiple Input Multiple Output”. Even though
it is used to refer to one of the communication techniques, it was used in the 1950s in filters
theory and electric circuit. Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) is a promising
technology for next generation wireless communication network that can provide unprecedented
gains in spectral efficiency, the number of information bits per time-frequency resource. There is
no need for complex detection methods like dirty paper coding, which is computationally heavy,
as linear processing performs well. Simple hardware can be used in both the base station (bs) and
the terminals. The terminals in the cell can be served with uniformly good service [1].

The term MIMO was used to indicate circuits with multiple input and multiple output ports in its
original context. During the 90s, however, this term has been adopted by communication systems
researchers and information theorists to denote a novel signal processing technique that was
developed for wireless systems with multiple antennas. The reference point in this different use
of the term was the communication channel. The term multiple input was used to denote the
signals that were entering the communication channel from the multiple antennas. Also, the word
multiple output implied signals received at the multiple antennas of the receiver, which were
regarded as the output of the communication channel [2].

MIMO radio systems develop multiple antennas in order to send and receive multiple data
streams at once. The number of antennas required is defined by the radio manufacturer based on
what they determine will work for optimal transmission and reception with their particular
hardware and software. Massive MIMO also known as large scale antenna systems advanced in a
new research area in wireless communications. It is noticed as the best way to boost the spectral
efficiency of wireless communication system. It keeps highly enhanced energy efficiency as the
base station (BS) can focus the emitted energy to the spatial directions where the users are
exactly located [4].

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 2. Literature Review
The first breakthrough to Massive MIMO Downlink TDD Systems with Linear Precoding and
Downlink Pilots was made by Thomas Marzetta, et al [17], consider an efficient channel
estimation scheme to acquire CSI at each user, called beam forming training scheme. With the
beam forming training scheme, the BS pre codes the pilot sequences and forwards to all users.
Then, based on the received pilots, each user uses minimum mean-square error channel
estimation to estimate the effective channel gains. Then they derive a lower bound on the
capacity for maximum-ratio transmission and zero-forcing precoding techniques to evaluate the
spectral efficiency taking into account the spectral efficiency loss associated with the
transmission of the downlink pilots. They also hinted the potential benefits of massive MIMO.
Because of its advantage over conventional point-to-point communications as discussed above.
The limitation of this paper is that it have used perfect channel estimation. In our thesis we
consider the imperfect channel estimation.

The Massive MIMO concept has gained great attention in recent research. Md. Mahfuzur
Rahman and Dr.Md. Abu Bakar Siddiqui [18] investigated the BER performance of massive
MIMO system with increasing number of BS antenna, users, and SINR. They compared Spectral
efficiency and BER performance of ZF, MMSE precoding under Perfect CSIT and Imperfect
CSIT. It was shown that performance of a massive MIMO system utilizing different precoding
techniques (MMSE, ZF) under Rayleigh fading channel with both complete and incomplete
channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT) are investigated. This thesis compared only
the two common linear precoding technique. Meanwhile we have compared the three most
common linear precoding techniques.

In [19], Adil Israr, Zahid Rauf, Jan Muhammad and Faisal Khan compares the performance of
Massive MIMO downlink including linear precoding is evaluated. The achievable rate and the
downlink transmit power of ZF and MRT precoding techniques are derived, analyzed and
compared under the same conditions and assumptions. Their scenarios considered to investigate
these performance parameters are when the ratio of BS antennas and number of users is large, ZF
is better than MRT while when the ratio is quite small it makes MRT better than ZF for the same
conditions

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In [20] shows a performance analysis of a large multi-user MIMO downlink system over
frequency selective fast fading channel under Rician distribution was analyzed using ZF, MMSE
and MRT precoding. The performance has been investigated in terms of BER and throughput. In
this work a perfect feedback channels were considered. While in our paper we used the Rayleigh
Fading Channel and the imperfect channel.

The work in [21] analyzed the performance of multiple inputs multiple output orthogonal space
time blocks coding MIMO-OSTBC over frequency selective fading channel using Bit Error Rate
(BER) and spectral efficiency (SE) as performance measures. The results showed that, as SNR
increases, the spectral efficiency increases while the BER reduces for different antenna
configurations. The authors in [24] analyzed OSTBC of MIMO systems for both perfect and
imperfect CSI.

In reference [23] the authors suggested the most favorable types of beamforming techniques that
can be deployed in massive MIMO systems and to clarify the importance of beamforming
techniques in massive MIMO systems for eliminating and resolving many technical hitches that
massive MIMO system implementation faces. The authors aim at evaluating of optimal
beamforming techniques that are used in wireless communication systems to determine which
techniques are more suitable for deployment in massive MIMO systems to improve system
throughput and reduce intra- and inter-cell interference. They suggested an optimal beamforming
technique that can provide the highest performance in massive MIMO systems, satisfying the
requirements of next-generation wireless communication systems.

Cheng et al (2017) analyzed the downlink transmission in massive MIMO systems under pilot
contamination using a linear pre coding technique. The author proposed a modified precoding
algorithm that alleviated the effect of pilot contamination. The simulation results illustrate that
the proposed technique performed better compared to traditional methods.

In a thesis titled as “Spectral Efficiency and Energy Efficiency in Massive MIMO Systems” by
Diwei Sun analyzes the relationship between signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), capacity and discuss
energy depend on single cell massive MIMO system. Based on his thesis, if we do not consider
system complexity, MMSE has the best performance in terms of spectral efficiency and energy

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efficiency (perfect CSI is assumed). Compared to ZF, MRT performs better in low power regime
(with SNR ranging from 0 dB to 15 dB) [5]. Meanwhile in our work we consider the imperfect
channel estimate.

However, in most of those papers, perfect CSI was assumed at both the antenna and the users. A
realistic analysis must account for imperfect CSI, which is an inevitable consequence of the
finite channel coherence in a mobile system and which typically limits the performance of any
wireless system severely. By contrast, in our paper, we assume TDD operation, hence rely on
reciprocity to acquire CSI, and we assume the use of arbitrary pilot sequences in the network –
resulting in pilot contamination.

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 3. Statement of the problem
The major challenges in wireless communications are include spectral efficiency, link reliability,
coverage and energy efficiency. This is due to the limited available bandwidth, the fading nature
of the propagation channel and the mobility and autonomy of the wireless nodes. The rapid
growth in demand for high speed and high-quality multimedia services with diverse QoS
requirements is also creating the opportunities and challenges for the system designers.
Providing diverse QoS guarantees to the mobile users and various applications is an important
objective of next generation wireless networks. However, the wireless channel is affected by
time-dispersive effects, Doppler and multipath fading, as a result the spectral efficiency of the
wireless system is degraded.

In order to increase the data rates offered, a simple approach is to increase the allocated
bandwidth. This approach is difficult, since the radio-frequency spectrum is scarce resource.
Therefore, research over the last years has been focused towards improving spectral efficiency,
so that higher data rates can be achieved within a given bandwidth. To improve the spectral
efficiency, the conventional scheme and the new massive MIMO cooperative scheme are used
adaptively according to channel condition between source and destination.

Massive MIMO (as known as very large MU-MIMO) system has attracted a lot of interest. When
the number of antennas increases, the random channel vectors between the users and base station
become nearly orthogonal. Other important advantage of massive MU-MIMO systems is that
they enable us to reduce the transmitted power. On the uplink, reducing the power of the
terminals will save their battery life. On the downlink, much of the electrical base station power
is spent by power amplifiers and associated circuits and cooling systems.

The problem is to determine which precoding+ technique offers the best performance for
massive MIMO systems in terms of spectral efficiency, signal-to-noise ratio, and power
consumption. Additionally, the impact of the number of antennas and the number of users on the
system performance should be analyzed. The solution to this problem requires a simulation-
based approach that involves the design of a system model, selection of appropriate precoding
techniques, and measurement of performance metrics. The results obtained from this study will
provide valuable insights into the design, optimization, and deployment of massive MIMO
systems.

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 4. Objectives
4.1 Main Objective
 The general objective of this thesis is performance analysis of massive MIMO using
precoding techniques

4.2 Specific Objectives

 To see performance of massive MIMO system using ZF, MRT and MMSE pre-coding
technique.

 To simulate and Compare the performance of these pre-coding techniques.

o Spectral efficiency versus number of users
o Spectral efficiency versus number of antenna
o Spectral efficiency versus SNR

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5. Methodology

Start

Literature review

Analyzing

Modelling

Simulation

Result and discussion

Conclusion and
recommendation

End

Fig1: Methodology

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 6. Scope of the Thesis
The scope of the thesis titled "Performance Analysis of Massive MIMO using precoding
techniques” is to investigate the performance of massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-
Output) systems using different precoding techniques. The study focused on the use of pre-
coding techniques such as Zero-Forcing (ZF), MMSE (Minimum Mean Square Error), and
Maximum Ratio Transmission (MRT) to compare the SNR and spectral efficiency of massive
MIMO system.

This thesis explored the theoretical aspects of massive MIMO systems and provide a detailed
analysis of different pre-coding techniques to achieve maximum system performance. This study
includes a simulation-based analysis to compare and evaluate the performance of each precoding
technique in terms of spectral efficiency with respect to number of antenna and users.
The scope of the thesis also covered the impact of various system parameters on the
performance of massive MIMO systems using pre-coding techniques, including the number of
antennas, number of users, and pre coding scheme. Moreover, the proposed study also compare
the performance of massive MIMO systems using conventional MIMO systems, which do not
employ pre-coding techniques.

7. Significance of the Thesis

This thesis has several benefits. Firstly, it enables us to evaluate the performance of the system
under different operating conditions. This can lead to optimization of the system parameters to
maximize the systems performance. Also, it can be used to identify the key factors that affect the
system’s performance and develop new techniques to mitigate them.

Furthermore, this thesis can have a practical implication for the wireless industry. The use of
improved linear precoding techniques can lead to the development of more efficient and reliable
wireless communication systems that can be used in various applications.

8. Limitation of the Thesis

One of the limitations of this research is that it is typically limited to theoretical analysis and
simulation studies. While these studies provide valuable insight into how linear precoding

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techniques affect the performance of massive MIMO system, they are not always reflecting the
real-world performance of such system.

Another important limitation of this thesis is that it may not be applicable in all scenarios of
environments. For instance, the performance of linear precoding techniques may vary depending
on factor such as the channel environment, antenna configuration, and device characteristics.

9. Expected Output
We expect MMSE precoding scheme is the best choice for a massive multiuser MIMO system
than ZF and MRT in terms of spectral efficiency for different number of users.

10. Time table

The thesis duration taken to finalize is expected as tabulated below
Table 1: Time duration of the thesis

Task Time duration in (Weeks)

Literature survey 1
Software training 1
Theoretical concept understanding 2
Performing simulation 2
Contacting advisors 1
Report writing 2
Total 9

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References
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