Fading Models and Metrics for Contemporary Wireless Systems

Abstract—The purpose of this paper is to examine (i) some of the models commonly used to represent fading, and (ii) the information-theoretic metrics most commonly used to evaluate performance over those models. We raise the question of whether these models and metrics remain adequate in light of the advances that wireless systems have undergone over the last two decades. Weaknesses are pointed out, and ideas on possible fixes are put forth. I