QoS interpretation in 3rd generation wireless/mobile systems

UMTS, viewed as the wireless access part of a backbone ATM-based broadband services fixed network, serves the goal for future integrated communications. One of the major issues for the deployment of UMTS high-bandwidth and real-time multimedia applications, is the specification of acceptable Quality of Service (QoS) requirements for mobile users. In wired ATM networks a traffic contract guarantees the connection the network should provide to a fixed user. Due to the relatively unpredictable nature of user roaming into a non-homogenous system with different wireless cell structures like UMTS, the concept of an initial traffic contract may become meaningless. This paper addresses these issues and proposes a generic framework for the interpretation, and adaptation of a mobile QoS for 3rd generation wireless/mobile systems.