Traffic Instability in Urban 5G Small-Cell Networks

Abstract

The rapid deployment of dense 5G small-cell infrastructures has significantly increased network capacity in urban environments. However, high cell density and heterogeneous backhaul links introduce complex traffic interaction patterns that remain insufficiently understood. This study analyzes performance logs collected from 312 small-cell base stations deployed in a metropolitan business district over eight months. Indicators including handover frequency, packet retransmission rate, and uplink congestion were examined under varying user mobility patterns. During peak commuting hours, average handover events increased by 47%, while uplink packet loss rose to 3.8%, compared with 1.2% during off-peak periods. A localized traffic coordination mechanism was implemented to mitigate congestion propagation across adjacent cells. Field trials show moderate improvements in throughput stability, although interference management remains a limiting factor in extremely dense deployments.