Design of Handoff procedures for broadband wireless access IEEE 802.16 based networks

Abstract

IEEE 802.16 IS A PROTOCOL FOR FIXED BROAD BAND WIRE LESS ACCESS THAT IS CURRENTLY TRYING TO ADD MOBILITY AMONG MOBILE USERS IN THE STANDARD. HOW EVER, MOBILITY ADDS SOME TECH N-I CAL BARRIERS THAT SHOULD BE SOLVED FIRST, THIS IS THE CASE OF HO "HANDOFF" (CHANGE OF CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO BASE STATIONS "BS" BY A MOBILE USER). IN THIS PAPER, THE PROBLEM OF HO IN IEEE 802.16 IS APPROACHED TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF SER VICE (QOS) OF MO BILE USERS. A MECHANISM FOR CHANGING CONNECTION DURING HO IS PRESENTED. A SIMULATION MODEL BASED ON OPNET MODELER1 WAS DEVELOPED TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PRO POSED HO MECHANISM. FINALLY, THIS PAPER DEMONSTRATES THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT A SEAM LESS HO MECHANISM OVER IEEE 802.16 EVEN FOR USERS WITH DEMANDING APPLICATIONS SUCH AS VOICE OVER IP.