Multicast service availability in a hybrid 3G-cellular and ad hoc network

In this paper we discuss the advantages and disadvantages with a wireless network consisting of a wide area 3G-cellular network and a local area ad hoc network. The hybrid network is meant to be used for high data-rate continuous group services with multicast data distribution. We enumerate the resource gains available from the combined network, and also show how network connectivity and service availability is affected. The results demonstrate that the hybrid network can provide multicast data to a high percentage of the multicast terminals using smaller amount of cellular radio resources, compared with conventional cellular-only system.