User preferences and expert opinions based vertical handoff decision strategy with the inclusion of cost parameter for 4G networks

Quick developments in the advancement of wireless technologies and also increasing mobile user demands require future wireless communication to be a cooperative working of heterogeneous systems with their reciprocal characteristics. Handoff decision is an all important issue in a heterogeneous environment. Vertical handoff considers many network criteria in order to select the optimum network. For this a smart approach is necessitated, so that the user can choose the most proficient network amidst the accessible systems based on the user preferences. This paper proposes a user preferences and expert opinions based vertical handoff decision model under the guidelines of the original analytical hierarchy process (AHP) but with the inclusion of cost parameter to make vertical handoff decision for a file downloading application, aiming to maximise user satisfaction. Simulation is carried out using OMNet++ framework and the results are acknowledged with discussion and analysis.