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WLAN-GPRS Tight Coupling Based Interworking Architecture with Vertical Handoff Support

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Abstract

There have been parallel technological developments in wireless local network (WLAN) and cellular wide area network (WAN) technologies. This is evidenced by the boom in fast WLANs enabled devices, the spread of 2.5 G networks and the increasing emergence 3 G communication networks, applications and terminals. The prospects of integrating WLAN and cellular WAN technologies with support for seamless handoffs between the two heterogeneous have changed the mentality of researchers from considering WLAN technology as a threat to the future of wide area cellular networks to accepting the technology as a complementary solution. A number of architectures for interworking the two different network types have been proposed mainly based on the loose coupling interworking approach recommended by the ETSI. One of the main weaknesses anticipated with loose coupling architecture is excessive handoff latency, which may lead to data loss, traffic congestion and handoff failure. In this paper an architecture for interworking WLAN and the GPRS networks, based on the ETSI tight coupling approach, is proposed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering and Technology, Namibia’s University of Science and Technology, Polytechnic of Namibia, Private Bag 13388, 13 Storch Street Windhoek, Namibia, Africa

    Fredson Alfred Phiri

  2. Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450, Melaka, Malaysia

    M. B. R. Murthy

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  1. Fredson Alfred Phiri
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  2. M. B. R. Murthy
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Correspondence to Fredson Alfred Phiri.

Additional information

Fredson Alfred Phiri holds a Master of Engineering Science (MEngSc) degree obtained from Multimedia University, Malaysia in 2005 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Malawi where he graduated in 2001. Mr. Phiri is currently working as a lecturer at the Polytechnic of Namibia (Namibia’s University of Science and Technology) where he also chairs the Electronics and Telecommunications (E-TEL) Research Group. He has previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Malawi, as a Telecommunications Engineer at Technocentre (Malawi), and as a Telecommunication Technician at the Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL). Mr. Phiri’s research interests include Integration of Mobile Data Networks, Network Programming and Powerline Communication.

M.B.R. Murthy has obtained his B.E. (Electrical) from Andhra University, College of Engineering, Waltair, India, M.Sc (Engg) in Communication Systems from Regional Engineering College-Rourkela, India and PhD from Karnatak University, Dharwad, India. He has over 32 years of academic experience teaching under graduates and graduate students. He has vast research experience and has 43 publications in reputed journals and international conferences. He is a senior member at IEEE. He had six years of teaching and research experience at Multi Media University Malaysia. Currently he is Professor ECE and Dean PG engineering and R&D in GEC Gudlavalleru, India.

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Phiri, F.A., Murthy, M.B.R. WLAN-GPRS Tight Coupling Based Interworking Architecture with Vertical Handoff Support. Wireless Pers Commun 40, 137–144 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-006-9079-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-006-9079-9

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