Abstract
Mobile broadband traffic has been increasing in the last years. To cope with such traffic demand, heterogeneous networks are an effective solution characterized by deploying networks with different cell sizes, radio access technologies (RATs) and carrier frequencies. Since the coverage area of these networks (or layers) is partially overlapped, users can be steered to a specific layer in order to improve network performance. In this work, two mechanisms of traffic steering are analyzed in a realistic high-speed packet access/long-term evolution deployment scenario, where the objective is to offload traffic from the macro-layer to pico-cells. In idle mode, i.e., the state in which no dedicated resources have been established for the user, a static adjustment of the layer priorities in the cell reselection algorithm is performed. In connected mode, where dedicated resources have been established, the parameters of the inter-RAT handover triggering condition are statically adjusted to offload the macro-layer. Simulation results show that further offloading can be achieved by modifying these algorithms so that user satisfaction is improved.
Highlights
Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) will involve a diverse environment characterized by the presence of networks with different technologies, frequencies, cell sizes, etc
This paper investigates traffic steering techniques by static adjustment of mobility parameters in HetNets
The service provided to the user equipment (UE) is based on a realistic video streaming model, which generates traffic according to a source bit rate equal to 1,024 Kbps
Summary
Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) will involve a diverse environment characterized by the presence of networks (layers) with different technologies, frequencies, cell sizes, etc. The potential of steering a user connection towards a specific network layer in HetNets brings new challenges to the operators This type of actions, known as traffic steering, attempts to use the resources in a more efficient way. To find the optimal user distribution across the network layers, a cell reselection algorithm considering different layer priorities and inter-RAT HOs is used for traffic steering purposes. A procedure to select the optimal thresholds of the 3GPP events that trigger the inter-RAT HOs is proposed In this case, the problem arising from the use of HO triggering events based on the signal level is addressed. The proposed techniques are assessed in a realistic scenario thoroughly deployed to cover hotspots with LTE pico-cells so that the traffic steering policy is to offload traffic to the picolayers in order to use more efficiently the radio resources and improve service performance.
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