Optimizing Integrated Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks Performance with Traffic-Aware Resource Management

Abstract: To address an ever-increasing demand for ubiquitous high-speed connectivity, mobile network deployments are becoming increasingly dense. However, this densification has also led to a surge in overall energy consumption, making the process increasingly challenging. In recent years, non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) have been mainly endorsed as a potential solution to enhance coverage by complementing the coverage of the terrestrial network (TN) in areas with limited network deployment. However, their ability to reduce TN energy consumption, though often overlooked, remains a significant advantage. To this end, this paper introduces a novel radio resource management algorithm, BLASTER (Bandwidth SpLit, User ASsociation, and PowEr ContRol), which integrates bandwidth allocation, user equipment (UE) association, power control, and base station activation within an integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial network (TN-NTN). This algorithm aims to optimize network resource allocation fairness and energy consumption dynamically, demonstrating new opportunities in deploying satellite networks in legacy cellular systems. Our study offers a comprehensive analysis of the integrated network model, emphasizing the effective balance between energy saving and Quality of Service (QoS), and proposing practical solutions to meet the fluctuating traffic demands of cellular networks.