Coordinated tethering over cellular networks: Handover scenarios and signaling

As next generation networks are evolving toward providing the mobile users with higher bandwidth and better Quality of Service, relaying was considered as a solution that will contribute to a better service provisioning to the end users. In a recent paper, grouping the mobile nodes into clusters was proposed as an alternative solution to relaying. This technique allows a coordinated tethering of the wireless nodes in cellular networks controlled by the base station (BS). In this context, for better spectrum usage, some users will relay the information between the BS and other devices using the newly vacated TV white space (TVWS) bands. However, the proposed clustering approach did not take into account the numerous changes that can occur in the cellular network. Therefore, in this paper, we will extend the existing clustering configuration to consider mobile users´ requirements and network events by studying the corresponding handover scenarios and signaling schemes. This will reduce the complexity of the clustering algorithm in terms of time and signaling, and it will improve the network performance and service quality as will be also shown via several user case scenarios.