Prioritizing spectrum efficiency over buffer-based multiple input, multiple output communications

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processing system including at least one processor, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• detecting a presence of a plurality of user devices in a cell of a mobile network, wherein each user device of the plurality of user devices includes a buffer of a plurality of buffers, and wherein a fill level of at least one buffer of the plurality of buffers is less than one hundred percent;
• determining that a spatial separation between the plurality of user devices meets a threshold spatial separation required to support multiple user multiple input, multiple output communications and that a spectrum efficiency for multiple-user multiple input, multiple output communications is higher than a spectrum efficiency for single-user multiple input, multiple output communications;
• and
• activating multiple-user multiple input, multiple output communications in the cell for the plurality of user devices.

A device comprising:

• a processing system including at least one processor;
• and
• a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
• detecting a presence of a plurality of user devices in a cell of a mobile network, wherein each user device of the plurality of user devices includes a buffer of a plurality of buffers, and wherein a fill level of at least one buffer of the plurality of buffers is less than one hundred percent;
• determining that a spatial separation between the plurality of user devices meets a threshold spatial separation required to support multiple user multiple input, multiple output communications and that a spectrum efficiency for multiple-user multiple input, multiple output communications is higher than a spectrum efficiency for single-user multiple input, multiple output communications;
• and
• activating multiple-user multiple input, multiple output communications in the cell for the plurality of user devices.