Experimental Analysis of Public Wireless LAN Quality for Moving Users

Wireless LAN (WLAN) access points (APs) are being installed widely and densely in urban areas as a means of traffic offload for mobile communication terminals such as smartphones. WLAN access can be used in home, office, shopping malls, airports and even in train stations (especially in Japan). Although APs which are installed on platforms of train stations can offer stable and high-speed access to passengers waiting for trains, it may cause unstable or decrease the access speed to passengers who are on board a train. In this paper, we analyze the impact on the quality of experience (QoE) of WLAN access for passengers at a station. We conclude that passengers who are on board a train should not use WLAN APs which are installed on platforms since WLAN access cause severe degradation in such QoE for the passengers.