Deciding Handover Points Based on Context-Aware Load Balancing in a WiFiWiMAX Heterogeneous Network Environment
Abstract: The heterogeneous network (HetNet) is an important concept for nextgeneration wireless Internet architecture and Internet of Things, where several wireless technologies can coexist, and the users should have the flexibility to select the connectivity based on the environmental condition and application demands. IEEE 802.11 (or WiFi) and IEEE 802.16 (or WiMAX) are the two primary building block technologies for HetNets because of their sustainability, cost effectiveness, well-deployed architectures, and ability to support high-datarate wireless communications. The existing literature has extensively studied the interoperability between these two technologies, and seamless handover schemes are designed to support WiFi-WiMAX integration in a HetNet environment. However, effective utilization of these two technologies from the end users' point of view is another important research area. We have the following question: When should a user migrate between these two technologies in a HetNet environment? This paper proposes a handover decision mechanism in a WiFi-WiMAX integrated HetNet environment, which supports the “quality of service” and “quality of experience” requirements of the end users. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is analyzed using simulation results.