Trust-Assisted Handover Decision Algorithm in Hybrid Wireless Networks

In next-generation (NG) hybrid wireless networks, it is believed that mobile-controlled handover (MCHO) would substitute the current handover control mechanisms in homogeneous networks. As multiple network operators with different technologies get involved, trust relationship between heterogeneous network domains become complex. The state-of-the-art multicriteria handover decision algorithms proposed for hybrid networks can not guarantee mobile host (MH)´s successful association with selected network due to lack of trust information about networks. The failure of authentication via the selected network may cause unnecessary handover attempts. In this regard, trust information of networks is considered an important factor in handover decision making. In this paper, we analyze hybrid handover issues, and present a handover decision algorithm using trust indications of networks for network selection. We also designed a hybrid wireless network topology estimating various network conditions, and had the trust-assisted algorithm compared with the latest cost-based multicriteria algorithm. The primary goal of our work is to explore how trust information of networks can contribute to hybrid handover in NG multioperator and multitechnology environments. Our simulation demonstrates whether MH makes more intelligent handover to reduce handover delay if the proposed trust-assisted handover decision algorithm is used.