Intelligent Service Migration in Multi-Domain Cellular Networks based on Profile Predictions

Abstract

In the Internet of Things (IoT), a large number of smart mobile devices, sensors, and actuators are deployed at the edge of the network. Processing of this large volume of data is a key factor of future Internet and communication systems such as Fifth Generation (5G) cellular networks, which provide dramatic enhancement in data rates, reliability, and energy consumption as compared to existing mobile communication infrastructure. In the context of service migration (inter-Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) roaming) between different mobile network operators, end-users experience longer service interruption due to network re-connection specifically in cross-border scenarios. In this paper, we propose Mobile-access edge computing (MEC)-based intelligent service migration architecture to improve the service continuity (SC) in multi-domain Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G cellular networks. We introduce the concept of virtual roaming requests processed on edge node networks and predict in advance the development of service in visiting networks. As result, we can reduce the service interruption time during service migration in a multi-domain cellular network. Moreover, this MEC-based prediction also helps to improve message communication delay and to use cellular core network resource efficiently.