Towards realization of the ABC vision: A comparative survey of Access Network Selection

Access Network Selection (ANS) providing the most appropriate networking technology for accessing and using services in a heterogeneous wireless environment constitutes the heart of the overall handover management procedure. The aim of this paper is to survey representative vertical handover schemes proposed in related research literature with emphasis laid on the design of the ANS mechanism. Schemes' distinct features are analyzed and the authors discuss on their relative merits and weaknesses.