Channel Prediction under Network Distribution Shift Using Continual Learning-based Loss Regularization

Abstract: Modern wireless networks face critical challenges when mobile users traverse heterogeneous network configurations with varying antenna layouts, carrier frequencies, and scattering statistics. Traditional predictors degrade under distribution shift, with NMSE rising by 37.5\% during cross-configuration handovers. This work addresses catastrophic forgetting in channel prediction by proposing a continual learning framework based on loss regularization. The approach augments standard training objectives with penalty terms that selectively preserve network parameters essential for previous configurations while enabling adaptation to new environments. Two prominent regularization strategies are investigated: Elastic Weight Consolidation (EWC) and Synaptic Intelligence (SI). Across 3GPP scenarios and multiple architectures, SI lowers the high-SNR NMSE floor by up to 1.8 dB ($\approx$32--34\%), while EWC achieves up to 1.4 dB ($\approx$17--28\%). Notably, standard EWC incurs $\mathcal{O}(MK)$ complexity (storing $M$ Fisher diagonal entries and corresponding parameter snapshots across $K$ tasks) unless consolidated, whereas SI maintains $\mathcal{O}(M)$ memory complexity (storing $M$ model parameters), independent of task sequence length, making it suitable for resource-constrained wireless infrastructure