2012 IEEE Symposium on Wireless Technology and Applications (ISWTA), September 23-26, 2012, Bandung, Indonesia
Multi-Criteria Vertical Handover Decision in
Heterogeneous Network
G. Mahardhika, M. Ismail, K. Mat
Department of Electrical, Electronic and System, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Bangi, Malaysia
gita@eng.ukm.my, mahamod@eng.ukm.my, kamarul@eng.ukm.my
Abstract— Heterogeneous networks provide more flexibility in
term of service continuation and capacity to mobile users by
having multi-layer networks of different wireless system and
interfaces. However, in such network seamless vertical handoff
across different networks becomes a challenging and crucial
process. Conventional vertical handover decision algorithm uses
RSSI as a main parameter to decide handover. In this work, we
propose multi-criteria parameters to decide vertical handover. In
addition to RSSI, there are other parameters that are put into
consideration: user speed, traffic class and network occupancy of
the networks. Simulation result shows that by using multi-
criteria parameters, the number of handoff is decreased
compared to number of handoff using conventional VHO
decision.
Multi-criteria; vertical handover; heterogeneous (key words)
I. INTRODUCTION
Mobile communication system is evolving into one major
feature, convergence. Various networks and services are
expected to work together to build up one major network. Each
network has its own benefits and drawbacks, so the idea of
combining networks may increase the advantages and reduce
the disadvantages.
Figure 1. Heterogeneous Network Architecture
Heterogeneous network is a network that integrates multi-
layer network of different technologies. Each type of wireless
network has certain characteristics and advantages, and
heterogeneous network combines those advantages into one
convergent network. Fig. 1 shows the architecture of
heterogeneous network.
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Feature of convergence is followed by seamlessness.
Convergence does not make any difference if it does not
provide smooth transitions between networks. Convergence
and seamlessness is two sides of a coin, one does not matter
without another.
Handover is an evitable process in a convergent network.
Handover is defined as a transition which is experienced by a
mobile user while it moves around. Handover is closely related
to mobility. High number of handoff is a product of high
mobility.
II. RELATED WORKS
Heterogeneous network involves both horizontal and
vertical handover to build service continuity between different
network layers and technologies. There are several schemes for
handover decision using many kinds of parameters such as
RSSI, traffic type and mobile user speed.
Horizontal handover mainly uses RSSI as the only
parameter to decide handover [1]. Horizontal handover process
begins when RSSI of a mobile user decrease as the
consequences of more distant position from the base station.
Mobile station then considers adjacent base stations as
handover target. A cell (or an access point) is chosen as a
handover target if the RSSI is stronger compared to other base
stations.
Vertical handover decision is slightly different with
horizontal handover decision. One of the latest works on
vertical handover decision is reported in [2]. They proposed an
algorithm of vertical handover decision with an approach of
upward and downward handover scenario. The environment is
a heterogeneous network consists of WLAN and UMTS
network. The upward scenario is defined as vertical handover
from UMTS to WLAN, on the contrary of downward scenario
which is defined as handover from WLAN to UMTS. The
parameters taken into account are velocity, received signal
strength indicator (RSSI), and delay provided by the networks.
Velocity and delay are considered as main parameters as they
are needed to prevent unnecessary handovers. However,
neither quantitative nor qualitative result is obtained yet.
 2012 IEEE Symposium on Wireless Technology and Applications (ISWTA), September 23-26, 2012, Bandung, Indonesia

There is another work on vertical handoff algorithm that A. Network Topology

involves several parameters. Parameters used are RSSI, In this paper, heterogeneous network consists of three types
available bandwidth and active application are also considered of network: WiFi, WCDMA and WiMAX. WiFi access point’s
[3]. Handover algorithm performance is calculated by radius is 700 meter, meanwhile WCDMA Node B and
performance metrics. There are four performance metrics: WiMAX base station’s radius is 2300 meter and 5000 meter.
handover probability, unnecessary handover probability, Those networks are overlapping as shown in Fig. 2.
missing handover probability and wrong decision probability.
Unnecessary handover is a condition when current network is
better than target network in term of channel quality.
Unnecessary handover probability is lower if the system is
using multi-parameter (RSSI and available bandwidth)
compared to single-parameter (available bandwidth only). The
opposite of unnecessary handover is missing handover,
happens when there is a better cell with better link quality but
the mobile station is not handed over to that cell. The sum of
both unnecessary and missing handover is called wrong
decision probability. From the simulation in [3], the worst
wrong decision probability increase if the system is only using
RSSI as a parameter, compared to using both RSSI and
network bandwidth as parameters.
The work of [4] classify vertical handover into two
categories: imperative vertical handover and alternative vertical
handover. Imperative vertical handover is related to link quality
meanwhile alternative vertical handover is associated with
better quality of service. Imperative vertical handover is
Figure 2. Network Topology (in km)
considered as more latency-sensitive compared with alternative
vertical handover. The decision of handover is executed firstly B. Parameter Setting
by RSS value (imperative VHO), and secondly by fuzzy logic Parameter setting for base station and mobile station for
controller that calculate the weights of several parameters (e.g. heterogeneous network in our simulation is explained in Table
bandwidth, delay, jitter). 1.
III. HANDOVER DECISION IN HETEROGENEOUS NETWORK
TABLE I. BASE STATION PARAMETER
In heterogeneous network, handover is classified into two
Network Type
categories: horizontal handover and vertical handover. Parameter
Horizontal handover is a handover process that happens in a WiMAX WCDMA WiFi
same network technology, for example a handover between Base Operating
3500 2100 2450
Station Frequency (MHz)
different access points in WiFi network, or a handover between Parameter Transmit Power
adjacent Node Bs in WCDMA network. Meanwhile, vertical (dBm)
48 15 20
handover is a handover that involves different type of network
Antenna gain (dB) 15 6 3
technologies, such as a handover from a WiFi access point to a
WiMAX base station. Loss (cable,
-3 -3 -3
combiner) (dB)
Conventional scheme of vertical handover decision uses EIRP (dBW) 60 18 20
RSSI as main parameter. The handover is decided by
comparing RSSI from different type of network. Target Cell Radius (km) 5 2.3 0.7
network is chosen by deciding which network transmits Antenna Gain (dB) 3 3 3
strongest RSSI [5]. Mobile Receiver Sensitivity
-100 -100 -118
We propose a vertical handover decision using more than Station (dBm)
Parameter Cell Edge Receive
one parameter. In addition to RSSI, we consider moving speed Level (dBm)
-100.12 -100.45 -119.58
of mobile station, traffic generated by mobile station and
network occupancy of the three network in the heterogeneous
environment. C. Propagation Model
RSSI is an important parameter in this algorithm because
IV. SIMULATION AND ALGORITHM
RSSI selects which networks that available for handover
In this work, we propose a vertical handover algorithm on a decision. Each network is using different propagation model.
heterogeneous network. The algorithm is simulated to measure
the performance compared with conventional method. WiMax is the network with the largest coverage. Radio
propagation of WiMAX network is modeled as empirical
propagation model for WiMAX 3.5 GHz [6] as follow:

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 2012 IEEE Symposium on Wireless Technology and Applications (ISWTA), September 23-26, 2012, Bandung, Indonesia

  

where is 105.45 dB measured at = 200 m. Pathloss

exponent is 3.911.
Underlain between WiMAX and WiFi, WCDMA
compromises the user’s mobility as well as sufficient data rate.
COST 231 Walfish-Ikegami model is used in our work with
the consideration that this propagation model is adopted as a
standard model for 3G IMT2000/UMTS systems [7]. It is valid
in the condition of transmitter height 4 to 50 m, receiver height
1 to 3 m, and the transmitter-receiver distance 0.02 to 5 km.
Formula is as follow:

  

where is distance from base station to mobile user in km,

and is operating frequency in MHz.
WiFi network in this simulation both outdoor and indoor
with limited building attenuation, for the propagation model
used one-slope model [8] as follow:

 
is reference loss value for the distance of 1 m. is
pathloss exponent, and is distance in meters. For operating
frequency 2.45 GHz in this environment, is 40 dB and is
3.5 [8].
D. Vertical Handover Algorithm
Multi-criteria vertical handover decision is implemented
using MATLAB simulation. Fig. 2 presents flowchart of the
proposed algorithm. This flowchart includes comparison
between proposed method and conventional method. Our
proposed method is using three criteria (RSSI, moving speed
and traffic type) meanwhile conventional method is using only
one criterion (RSSI) [5].
The first step of the algorithm is to calculate RSSI and
network occupancy. Network usage is important because it is

Figure 2. Vertical Handover Decision Algorithm
V. RESULT
Simulation results are presented in the figures below. Fig.3
presents comparison between conventional method and
proposed method (multi-criteria) using proportional weight of
two parameters, RSSI and mobile speed. Simulation result of
CDF plot shows that our proposed algorithm has less number
of handoff compared with conventional algorithm. Fig. 3 is the
CDF plot result of simulation with 1000 mobile stations and
3600 moving times. Implementing multi-criteria VHO decision
reduced number of handoff up to 46.21%, from mean value of
initial number of handoff (using conventional method) 157 to
73 (multi-criteria VHO decision).
1
Empirical CDF

included in the weight matrix of multi-criteria decision making. 0.9

RSSI is used for setting the active network set that consists of
networks whose RSSI is above the threshold. After active 0.8

network set is obtained, decision making process is calculated 0.7

using both methods (conventional and proposed method).
0.6

E. Performance Parameter
F(x)

0.5
Our proposed method performance parameter is number of
handoff. Simulation result shows performance of both 0.4

conventional methods and multi-criteria method in term of 0.3

number of handoff. Number of handoff is obtained by

calculating total number of handover in total simulation time. 0.2

Number of handoff is an important parameter in our work 0.1

because the concern of reducing back-and-forth handover,

Conventional Method
Multi-criteria Method
0
which affiliate with the usage of network resources. 0 50 100 150
x
200 250 300

Figure 3. Number of handoff CDF for conventional and multi-criteria

method

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 2012 IEEE Symposium on Wireless Technology and Applications (ISWTA), September 23-26, 2012, Bandung, Indonesia

An extension of this simulation in presented in Fig.4. We occupancy may be considered as another criterion for handover
extend our propose method using two RSSI thresholds: fixed decision.
threshold and adaptive threshold. In fixed RSSI threshold, we
use single threshold for all three types of network, meanwhile ACKNOWLEDGMENT
in adaptive RSSI threshold, we use different threshold for each The paper is based on the project sponsored by Universiti
network type (WiFi, WCDMA and WiMAX). Multi-criteria Kebangsaan Malaysia project code OUP-2012-182. The
decision method decreases number of handoff 22.58%, from 31 authors wish to thank for their funding and support.
handoff using RSSI fixed threshold to 24 handoff using multi-
criteria method. Multi-criteria method also decreases number REFERENCES
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