Table 1 List of symbols, time block t has been omitted for simplicity

Set of BSs, each equipped with M antennas

Set of UEs, each equipped with N antennas

Set of integers, each identifying a candidate BS clusters

${\mathcal{J}}_c$

Set of BSs forming candidate BS cluster c, $c\in \mathcal{C}$

Set of scheduled UEs

${\mathcal{U}}_c$

Set of UEs corresponding to BSs in ${\mathcal{J}}_c$ (see (12))

${\mathcal{S}}_c$

Set of scheduled UEs corresponding to BSs in ${\mathcal{J}}_c$ (see (16a))

H _k,j

Channel between BS j and UE k

${\widehat{\mathit{H}}}_{k,j}$

Estimated channel between BS j and UE k

${\widehat{\mathit{H}}}_k^{\left(c\right)}$

Estimated channel between BSs in ${\mathcal{J}}_c$ and UE k

G _k,j

Precoding matrix used by BS j to serve UE k

${\mathit{G}}_k^{\left(c\right)}$

Precoding matrix used by BSs in ${\mathcal{J}}_c$ to serve UE k

l _k

Transmission rank allocated to UE k

P _k

Power vector allocated to UE k

${\widehat{R}}^{\left(c\right)}$

Estimated weighted sum rate achieved by BSs in ${\mathcal{J}}_c$

${\widehat{R}}_k$

Estimated rate achieved by UE k

R _k

Effective rate achieved by UE k