Performance Analysis of Cellular Networks by simulating Location Aided Handover Algorithms

Future-generation mobile communications will provide broadband multimedia services to users, anywhere, anytime. Network performance should be guaranteed to support these applications and services. To avoid serious network shortcomings such as call dropping and blocking in the existing cellular systems, “smart” handoff algorithms and their implementation should be considered especially when handoff is much more complicated in 3 generation systems (UMTS). Both UMTS and those of the second generation (GSM) systems will require redefined handoff algorithms of active connections as the smooth mobility support and continuous connection are essential issues for obtaining high performance. In this paper we present a set of intelligent algorithms using the mobile terminal (MT) location information and area awareness to assist safe handoff decisions. The implemented algorithms are validated by means of cellular network simulators that clearly show the impact of these techniques to major system performance metrics.