Issues in 802.21 mobile node controlled handovers

Mobile nodes moving across heterogenous access networks need to perform mobile IP handovers to maintain continuity of Internet access. The IEEE 802.21 framework was defined to support such handovers by providing link layer intelligence and media independent handover control facilities to the user entities. This framework, however, does not provide all controls necessary to perform seamless handovers in heterogeneous network environment. Additions, clarifications and simplifications of some commands may be required to promote uniform approach to implementing seamless handovers in heterogeneous access environment and ensure inter-operability across the range of handover control procedures implemented independently by various manufacturers and providers of network access solutions. Although the current 802.21 draft incorporates recent proposals to solve some of these issues, it falls short of proposing solutions suitable for the case of mobile controlled handovers. This paper proposes definitions of commands for inclusion in the IEEE 802.21 standard, to address the current deficiencies of the standard.