Survey on Media Independent Handover (MIH) Approaches in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

One challenge of wireless networks integration is to provide ubiquitous wireless access abilities seamless handover for mobile communication devices between the different types of technologies (3GPP and non-3GPP), such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long Term Evolution (LTE). This challenge is critical as Mobile Users (MUs) are becoming increasingly demanding for services regardless of the technological complexities associated with it. To fulfill these requirements for seamless Vertical Handover (VHO) the Media Independent Handover IEEE 802.21 (MIH) which was produced by IEEE group as mechanism to provide seamless VHO between the aforementioned technologies which requires mobility management protocols, such as Mobile IPv4 (MIPv4) or Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) to complement its work . Various VHO approaches have been proposed in the literature applied in conjunction with MIPv4 and MIPv6 under MIH, using empirical work real environment, testbed, simulation tools and analytical medoling. In this paper, we survey the VHO approaches proposed in the literature and classify them into two categories based on mobility management protocols (MIPv4 and MIPv6) for which we compare their performances and characteristics. Finally, through this survey, we conclude that MIPv4 under MIH is expected to continue in the future.