Hand-Off Evolution with Multiple Interfaces

Under the upcoming 4G network, mobile devices will have to handle multiple interfaces. Each network mechanism has its merits, such as WiFi´s high speed and the long transmission range of High Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA), but managing a combination of different interfaces during a hand-off procedure presents new challenges for next-generation networks because the network environment will continue to become more complex. A hand-off mechanism called hand-around allows users to manage multiple interfaces, but can cause bandwidth exhaustion and signal integrity problems. Interface scheduling could offer routing optimization, connection QoS, power savings, and bandwidth utilization. New issues, such as simultaneous location, will also arise under the upcoming 4G network, making multiple-interface integration an urgent topic.