Wideband-CDMA for the UMTS/IMT-2000 satellite component

This paper describes the main aspects relevant to the development of a third-generation Radio Transmission Technology (RTT) concept identified as Satellite Wideband CDMA (SW-CDMA), which was submitted [1] for evaluation to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) by the European Space Agency (ESA) in the framework of the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) satellite-component standardization. The main outcomes of the extensive system engineering effort that have led to our proposal are described. In particular, we address propagation channel characteristics, satellite diversity, power control, pilot channel, code acquisition, digital modulation and spreading format, interference mitigation, resource allocation. Due to its similarity with respect to the terrestrial W-CDMA proposal, the SW-CDMA open air interface solution is described briefly, with emphasis only on the major differences. Quantitative results concerning the physical-layer performance over realistic channel conditions, for both forward and reverse link, are reported.