Analysis of the Failure Tolerance of Linear Access Networks

In this paper, we study the disconnection of a moving vehicle from a linear access network composed of cheap WiFi access points in the context of telecommuting in massive transportation systems. In concrete, we analyze the probability of a user experiencing a disconnection longer than a given time interval (t*) such that all ongoing communications between the vehicle and the infrastructure network are disrupted. We provide an approximation formula considering two scenarios (intercity bus and train). We then carry out a sensitivity analysis and supply a guide for operators when choosing the parameters of the networks. Finally, we show that such systems are viable, as they attain a very low probability of long disconnections with a very low maintenance cost.