An optimized fast vertical handover strategy for heterogeneous wireless access networks based on IEEE 802.21 media independent handover standard

Abstract

Owing to ubiquity of wireless technologies, user satisfaction is greatly affected by the factor such as terminal mobility, guaranteeing quality of service, continuous connectivity to access the world anywhere, anytime and any service has gained a significant importance. Hence, the future generation wireless networks have projected as the integration of various wireless access networks. Seamless internetworking of heterogeneous network is still a stimulating assignment and requires interconnectivity at all layers of network architecture. In mobile communication, seamless vertical handover is one of the most challenging issues. The worst case may cause communication interruption, delays and packet losses which affect the real time communication performance. To resolve the problem of prevailing schemes, a marginal fast vertical handover Mobile IP (MIP) protocol using IEEE 802.21 Media Independent Handover (MIH) standard is proposed. In this paper optimized vertical handover functionality is illustrated for heterogeneous WLAN/WiMAX networks based on IEEE 802.21 Media Independent Handover which combines network functionality from all different access technologies into common set of Commands, Events and Services. The proposed handover scenario is used to evaluate the vertical handover performance involving multimode terminal with WLAN/WiMAX interfaces and IEEE 802.21 entities. This capability proves an efficient solution for mobility, multihoming and routing for integrating heterogeneous networks. In addition, the proposed scheme can reduce considerably traffic overhead between WLAN/WiMAX networks, handover latency and base station scanning interval time. The presented handover scenario concludes by presenting service continuity during and after vertical handover.