ABSTRACT
Network selection is one of the most significant challenges for next generation wireless heterogeneous networks, and thus it draws researchers’ and standardization bodies’ attention. This chapter addresses the issue of network selection in a heterogeneous wireless environment. It describes Media-Independent Handover (MIH; IEEE 802.21), which is designed for vertical handover. Major challenges in heterogeneous handover management are seamlessness and automation aspects in network switching. In a heterogeneous environment, besides network type, many other factors constitute handover categorization including the administrative domains involved, number of connections, and frequencies engaged. IEEE 802.21 defines three primary types of MIH services to facilitate intertechnology handovers: media-independent event service, media-independent command services, and media-independent information services. The network selection solution proposed by Kassar et al. represents an interesting and promising solution while combining the heuristics of the fuzzy logic systems and Multiple criteria decision-making.
