Opportunities in vehicular opportunistic networking

Following the explosion of Internet-enabled mobile devices and mobile services, users tend to expect network connectivity everywhere they go and at any time. In anticipation of these higher connectivity expectations and requirements especially for vehicular communication, several technologies like WiMAX, cellular networks (i.e., 3G/4G) and wireless mesh networks have been developed. While cellular network communication is either costly or slow, WiMAX which provides data rates comparable to regular WiFi networks, suffers from capacity issues as there are limited channels and hence a limited number of users able to transmit to a single base station. This paper investigates the connectivity challenges in WiFi vehicular opportunistic communications and discusses the utility of such networks at various speeds. We perform a set of simulations to compare state-of-the-art solutions that aim at enhancing the access point entry, production, and exit phases of such communication. We also emulate a best-case solution that enhances most state-of-the-art communication features in order to quantify the potential improvement that can be achieved in vehicular opportunistic networks. The ultimate goal is to provide insights into the true promise and potential of vehicular opportunistic networking.