Frequency Resource Management in 6G User-Centric CFmMIMO: A Hybrid Reinforcement Learning and Metaheuristic Approach

Abstract

As sixth-generation (6G) networks continue to evolve, AI-driven solutions are playing a crucial role in enabling more efficient and adaptive resource management in wireless communication. One of the key innovations in 6G is user-centric cell-free massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (UC-CFmMIMO), a paradigm that eliminates traditional cell boundaries and enhances network performance by dynamically assigning access points (APs) to users. This approach is particularly well-suited for vehicular networks, offering seamless, homogeneous, ultra-reliable, and low-latency connectivity. However, in dense networks, a key challenge lies in efficiently allocating frequency resources within a limited shared subband spectrum while accounting for frequency selectivity and the dependency of signal propagation on bandwidth. These factors make resource allocation increasingly complex, especially in dynamic environments where maintaining Quality of Service (QoS) is critical. This paper tackles these challenges by proposing a hybrid multi-user allocation strategy that integrates reinforcement learning (RL) and metaheuristic optimization to enhance spectral efficiency (SE), ensure fairness, and mitigate interference within shared subbands. To assess its effectiveness, we compare this hybrid approach with two other methods: the bio-inspired Aquila Optimizer (AO) and Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG)-based Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning (AC-RL). Our evaluation is grounded in real-world patterns and channel characteristics, utilizing the 3GPP-3D channel modeling framework (QuaDRiGa) to capture realistic propagation conditions. The results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid strategy achieves a superior balance among competing objectives, underscoring the role of AI-driven resource allocation in advancing UC-CFmMIMO systems for next-generation wireless networks.