System-Level Metrics for Non-Terrestrial Networks Under Stochastic Geometry Framework

Qi Huang, Baha Eddine Youcef Belmekki, Ahmed M. Eltawil, Mohamed-Slim Alouini

Abstract: Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) are one of the key enablers in sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks; with their rapid growth, system-level metrics analysis becomes more crucial in NTN design. Applying stochastic geometry (SG) as a system-level analysis tool in the context of NTN offers novel insights into the network trade-offs. In this article, we study and highlight NTN's common system-level metrics from three perspectives: NTN types, typical communication issues, and application scenarios. In addition to summarizing existing research, we study the best-suited SG models for different platforms and system-level metrics that have not been well studied in the literature. In addition, we showcase NTN-dominated prospective application scenarios. Finally, we implement a performance analysis of system-level metrics for these applications based on SG models.