Impact of Heterogeneous Network Controlled Handovers on Multi-Mode Mobile Device Design

The availability of multiple technologies, with micro and macro wireless cells, for network access combined with terminals capable of exploiting such diversity in wireless access requires the development of new mechanisms for optimized handover procedures. Appealing solutions should support network controlled handovers through heterogeneous technologies, preferably combined with a cross-layers two/three design. The IEEE 802.21 working group is currently standardizing the methods and the protocol potentially able to provide such a solution. In this paper we analyze the impact of signaling timing on network controlled handovers execution and performance in this environment. Through an extensive simulation study, we obtain results, that can be exploited in both terminal and handover procedure designs.