Application-aware optimization approaches for multiple-criteria network selection in mobile heterogeneous networks

The convergence of mobile communication networks based on technologies mainly like UMTS, LTE, WLAN and WiMAX referred to as Next Generation Networks (NGN) results in a heterogeneous environment. NGN enlarges the number of the network points of attachment (PoA) with overlapping coverage, which increases the actuality of the network selection problem. At the same time, the variety of mobile multimedia applications with requirements and preferences regarding various network characteristics has grown over the last years. Moreover, the users became interested in influencing the network selection by setting their requirements and preferences. The traditional single criteria signal strength-based path selection techniques used in the current mobile networks can not satisfy to these new needs of users and applications. Consequently, an increased number of multiple-criteria (MC) network selection techniques can be observed in the current research. A wide spectrum of approaches and algorithms addressing the problem of MC network selection for the heterogeneous networks based on various techniques have been proposed in the last decades. In this study, we investigate optimization potentials during MC network selection due to the reduction of surplus capacities with respect to the applications needs. On the one hand, the surplus reduction optimizes the user overall benefit. On the other hand, it improves network resource utilization which is favorable for the network provider. We propose two algorithms for surplus reduction based on Multiple-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) concepts. The first one is the Oversaturation Reduction Algorithm (ORA), which optimizes the overall benefit of the user due to the surplus reduction. The second one is the Aggressive Oversaturation Reduction Algorithm (AORA), which operates on the results of ORA and aims a further surplus reduction which addresses the network provider (network operator) needs.