The analysis of WLAN/3G interworking access based on a mobility model

Abstract

In this article, we investigate the user access to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) cell in a WLAN and third generation (3G) telecommunication networks interworking. To do the study, it is supposed that a mobile user moves in a typical Location Area (LA). The spotted LA is a 5*5 square (includes cells without any overlap). The cells are under the coverage of 3G providers. One cell is allocated to WLAN. Two goals are tracked in this paper. The first is to find a cell which its removal (i.e., to be disabled to support services) would result in the least entrance probability of a user to WLAN cell. Provisioning more security features for this cell would improve the user access. The second is to find the best cell for WLAN establishment in the LA which the highest level of WLAN cell entry would result. To do the study, regular Markov chain is applied. Also, it is supposed that the user walks randomly according to an unbiased mobility pattern. This study shows the dependency of user access (i.e., to network services) to the LA structure which has been ignored before.