Cell sectoring

Cell sectoring is replacing with an omnidirectional type of the antenna at the base station by several types of a directional antenna. It is done mainly to reduce factors such as a co-channel interface. 

Some important points on cell sectoring :

• Cell sectoring is another method to increase capacity. It keeps the radius of the cell constant and decreases the co-channel reuse ratio D/R to reduce the cluster size N. 
• Cell sectoring is a method of decreasing the co-channel interference and enhancing system performance by using a directional antenna.
• The size of clusters in a particular service area can be reduced because the cell sectoring increases the signal to interference ratio (SIR).
• So in cell sectoring process enhancing the system performance by using a directional antenna and reducing the co-channel interference value. here the reduction in the co-channel interference is dependent on the amount of sectoring used.
• So here in cell sectoring process generally cell divided in 120 ^{₀  &}  60 ^₀ sectors.
• A cell is in sectoring is 120 ^₀  then hexagon cell consists of three sectors and if the sector is 60 ^₀  then the hexagonal type cell consists of six sectors. 
• The single to noise ratio improvement allows the cellular provider to decreases the cluster size N in order to improve the frequency reuse and thus, the system capacity. 

120 ^₀  and 60 ^₀  sectoring

Now let us talk about some advantages and disadvantages of cell splitting to know more details about this concept.

Advantages of cell sectoring :

• Better S/I ratio.
• Reduces interference.
• Increases capacity.
• Reduces cluster size.
• More freedom in assigning a channel

Disadvantages of cell sectoring :

• Increases number of antennas per base station.
• A decrease in trunk efficiency.
• Loss of traffic.
• Increased number of handoffs.