29-08-2017, 10:28 AM
The next generation of mobile / wireless communications systems are expected to include heterogeneous broadband wireless networks that will coexist and use a common IP core to deliver a diverse range of high-speed multimedia data services to end users with contemporary mobile devices equipped with multiple networks since the networks have characteristics that complement each other. This requires the provision of a seamless vertical handover. This article provides components of an adaptive multi-attribute vertical handover decision algorithm that allows selection of the access network in a mobile node. A performance study using Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) and wireless local area network (WLAN) integration as an example shows that our proposed vertical transfer decision algorithm is able to determine when a handover is required and selects the best access network that is optimized for network conditions, quality of service requirements, user preferences and cost of service.