Modelling network selection and resource allocation in wireless access networks with non-cooperative games

In future generation wireless access networks, the users will have the chance of choosing among multiple connectivity opportunities provided by different access networks (network selection problem). Moreover, the network operators themselves will have to implement effective resource allocation strategies taking wise decisions on the used technologies, frequencies, power levels, etc. This paper proposes a game-theoretic framework to model the problems of network selection and resource allocation, capturing the interdependencies of decisions taken by different players (users vs networks). Namely, we cast the problem as a non-cooperative game where users and access networks act selfishly according their specific objectives: maximization of the perceived quality of service for the end users, maximization of the number of customers for the access networks. We characterize the equilibria of the game by resorting to mathematical programming, and we derive numerical results to assess the "quality" of the equilibria.