Heterogeneous wireless network RAT selection with multiple operators and service contracts

Heterogeneous wireless network (HWNs) often consider a single operator. This work proposes that HWN research should consider multiple operators and the economic agreements between the operators and the users when considering performance. The paper makes several contributions. First, the reasons for conducting HWN research in the context of multiple operators and economic models are outlined. Particularly, this discussion occurs with radio access technology (RAT) selection in mind. Next, a simulation tool which has been designed to explore the complexities of these models is discussed. Third, three simple RAT selection techniques are evaluated and discussed. The limitations of the simple techniques are discussed and potential improvements are outlined in detail.