In a conventional cellular system, base stations (BSs) and mobile stations (MSs) communicate directly using a wireless link. If multiple hops are introduced into a cellular system, the route a signal takes between the base station and a mobile station can include intermediate relays which receive and retransmit the signal. This can allow the BS to communicate with previously inaccessible MSs and also improve the quality of existing links. In this paper we consider a system where MSs in the cell can be used as relays. The probability that an MS will be a suitable relay will depend on its position in the cell. In this paper we therefore use analytical methods and simple simulations to study how relay use varies across the cell. This can give useful insights into the routing and signalling requirements of the system. Although we do not include interference in our model, the results can also give some insight into the potential effects of interference.
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