A Comparative Performance Evaluation of Scheduling Algorithms in Fifth Generation (5G) Networks for Delay-Sensitive Applications

Abstract

Scheduling algorithms constitute one of the fundamental components of Fifth Generation (5G) networks due to their crucial role in radio resource management and in achieving a balance between spectral efficiency, fairness in resource allocation, and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. With the rapid growth of delay-sensitive applications, such as Voice over IP (VoIP), video streaming, and industrial applications, relying solely on conventional scheduling algorithms such as Round Robin (RR), Proportional Fair (PF), and Max C/I is no longer sufficient to meet the advanced operational requirements of 5G networks, particularly with respect to latency performance.

This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of scheduling algorithm trends in 5G networks. The study is based on a comprehensive review and analysis of a wide range of research works and studies that have investigated scheduling algorithms in various network environments.

The review indicates that many recent research directions are increasingly incorporating temporal awareness into scheduling decisions by considering criteria such as waiting time, packet deadlines, packet size, and service priority in order to improve Quality of Service (QoS) metrics. Furthermore, the study shows that delay-aware schedulers represent one of the promising approaches for addressing the challenges associated with delay-sensitive applications by achieving a better balance between spectral efficiency, latency reduction, and packet loss minimization.