Bit error probability of MC-CDMA system over Rayleigh fading channels

Abstract

Downlink multicarrier code-division multiple access (MC-CDMA) systems with maximal ratio combining (MRC) in frequency-selective Rayleigh fading channels are considered. An exact bit error rate (BER) is provided based on the characteristic function (CF) and residue calculation method. The BER performance is evaluated in the time domain instead of frequency domain. This method does not require any assumption regarding the statistical or spectral behavior of multiple access interference (MAI).