Quota-based dynamic network selection for HSPA/UMTS multi-network users

In this paper, we present a quota-based dynamic network selection algorithm for accommodating access requests in a multi-network (HSPA+, HSDPA and UMTS) co-location environment, which is common for today´s 3G operators. In most commercial networks, the accesses of individual users are often charged at a flat rate. In such a charging scheme, a few extremely heavy users may degrade the performance and the fairness of the whole network. Therefore, we propose an algorithm called Quota-based Utilization Balance Algorithm (QUBA), designed to settle such a problem and also maximize the overall utility of all users. The design philosophy of QUBA is to let the system utilization in the 2 fastest networks, HSPA+ and HSDPA, be statistically balanced and sufficiently utilized. Performance metrics in terms of the overall system utility (i.e., the satisfaction index) and the blocking probability are investigated. From simulation results, it is shown that the QUBA algorithm has significant improvements in the aspect of the overall system performance than that of existing approaches.