New QoS-based Decision Making Approach for Heterogeneous Networks

Next generation wireless networks will provide seamless high bandwidth connectivity with high quality of service (QoS) support to mobile users, where a mobile will be able to connect to several wireless access networks simultaneously. In this environment, heterogeneity of networks and heterogeneity of applications are presented as challenging problems, where an efficient architecture is needed to integrate different technologies. In addition, deciding the serving network is essential to avoid resource wastage and provide QoS for users. In this paper, we propose new integration architecture based on a virtual operator that rents or invests resources from a physical operator, and sells services to customers. The virtual operator will monitor the network’s conditions and QoS parameters, and then provide the user requesting access with useful information to decide the serving network. In this context, we modify four well-known decision mechanisms (load balance, minimum distance, minimum price and minimum delay) by adding the QoS as a hard constraint. We also propose a new decision mechanism, where we consider new decision criteria that improves the overall system performance. Simulation results show that the new proposed mechanism outperforms the modified mechanisms, where the blocking probability is clearly reduced and a good level of QoS is provided to real-time applications or high-priority users.