Comparative analysis of algorithms for making multiple-sessions handover decisions in next generation wireless networks

Next generation wireless networks (NGWNs) are heterogeneous, and individual users in NGWNs are expected to simultaneously access multiple sessions such as voice, video streaming, file download, www, etc., from their multimode terminals (MTs). Consequently, an MT having multiple ongoing sessions may need to perform a vertical handover from one radio access technology (RAT) to another. However, a major issue in NGWN is how to select the most suitable RAT for a group of handoff sessions from an MT. While much research effort has concentrated on developing vertical handoff decision algorithms for a single-session from an MT, not much has been reported in the literature on RAT-selection for a group of handoff sessions from an MT in NGWNs. Therefore, this paper assesses the cross-analysis of four candidate algorithms for making multiple active sessions decisions in NGWNs. The objective of this paper is to compare four candidate algorithms that could be modified or adapted for making multi-criteria group decisions for multiple sessions from MTs in NGWNs. The candidate MCGDM algorithms compared in this paper are SAW-GDM, MEW-GDM, TOPSIS-GDM and DIA-GDM. Numerical simulation results show that TOPSIS-GDM and DIA-GDM algorithms are more suitable for making multiple handoff sessions than the SAW-GDM and MEW-GDM algorithms because they give consistent results.