UMTS-WiMAX Vertical Handover in Next Generation Wireless Networks

TL;DR

This paper reviews and compares various architectures and solutions for seamless vertical handover between UMTS and WiMAX in next-generation wireless networks, aiming to improve service continuity and QoS.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review and comparison of interworking architectures and handover schemes between UMTS and WiMAX for NGWN.

Findings

Different interworking architectures have distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Comparison criteria help identify the most suitable handover solutions.

Insights support better interworking mechanism selection in NGWN.

Abstract

The vision of next generation wireless network (NGWN) is to integrate different wireless access technologies, each with its own characteristics, into a common IP-based core network to provide mobile user with service continuity and seamless roaming. One of the major issues for the converged heterogeneous networks is providing a seamless vertical handover (VHO) with QoS support. In this paper we have reviewed the various interworking architectures and handover scenarios between UMTS and WiMAX. Also, we have compared the proposed solutions based on different criteria and revealed the pros and cons of each scheme. The comparison aids to adopt a better interworking and handover mechanism in NGWN.