Designing a Vertical Handover Algorithm for Security-Constrained Applications

Abstract

In heterogeneous networks (HetNets), the vertical handover (VHO) is an essential process for mobile users (MUs) aiming to secure ubiquitous connectivity and maintain the highest quality of service (QoS) across various types of radio access technology (RAT), such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), the global system for mobile communication (GSM), and the universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS). In the literature, many recent VHO research works have been proposed in which a number of critical issues still arise when performing seamless vertical handover, including VHO packet loss, VHO delay, and VHO throughput. Moreover, the security aspect of triggering VHO has not been carefully considered, particularly when an MU intends to use a payment application. In this paper, we present a comprehensive performance evaluation for a new secure VHO algorithm, taking into account all the above issues, for co-located Wi-Fi and UMTS networks. The simulation results are compared with the media independent handover (MIH) IEEE 802.21 standard, which facilitates the seamless transfer of connection among heterogeneous networks. We show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the MIH standard in terms of VHO delay, VHO packet loss, and VHO throughput in providing uninterrupted connection to security-constrained applications.