An algorithm to enhance the network selection performance in an integrated UMTS/WLAN environment

Future wireless networks will be multi-access networks, and the users can benefit from the advantages of any radio access technology. Then, network selection can play a critical role in overall network functionalities. Interworking between UMTS and WLAN is considered as a feasible approach toward next generation wireless networks. In this paper, we propose a method that uses statistical parameters of a WLAN cell traffic load to measure its capabilities to ensure QoS for the requested service. A network selection algorithm can use this measurement and user preference to select the best radio access technology. We investigate the performance of this algorithm through simulation of transferring video traffic in WLAN. The results show that the proposed algorithm has an acceptable performance and in about 95 percent of the times, a user that opt WLAN as his access network will have the requested QoS.