A Novel Internetworking Architecture between WLAN and UMTS Cellular Networks using RoF Technique

The next generation networks are designed to provide ubiquitous access networks to mobile users. Users may require various data rates and quality of service (QoS) in different places. The integrating of wireless cellular network and wireless local area network (WLAN) can take full advantage of each other, and provides consumers with much more comprehensive wireless service. In this paper, a novel internetworking architecture between WLAN and UMTS cellular networks with Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) technique is proposed. Based on RoF technique, we can locate the WLAN server in the Base Station (BS) of UMTS, and Mobile Node can always connect with BS whether it is in UMTS or WLAN. In particular, algorithms for intersystem communications and vertical handover management in this architecture are also proposed. The former algorithm decreases the signaling burden for the UMTS core network or core Internet. And the later one significantly reduces the latency in vertical handover.