VoIP Call Signaling Performance and Always-On Battery Consumption in HSDPA, WCDMA and WiFi

Wireless broadband enables the use of VoIP with handheld mobile deices. Likewise, multi radio terminals provide the user with ubiquitous access. Even though broadband access might be available in different locations, performance still depends on the wireless technology used. We study the main signaling delays that take place in a voice call (registration and voice call setup delays) and compare them for different wireless accesses: HSDPA, WCDMA and WiFi. Likewise, possible optimizations with always-on mode and their drawbacks are presented. Signaling delays and total battery lifetime affect the perceived end user experience directly, and thus are important items to consider in addition to the overall voice quality.