Heterogeneous Cellular Interworking of WIMAX and UMTS for Sensitive Real-Time Services

Since internet connections are provided through a variety of disparate networks, connecting these networks and supporting heterogeneous interworking is a major issue particularly in cellular networks. The interworking issue becomes even more challenging when it comes to providing QoS for real time services. To improve QoS requirements of the real time data and to increase inter cellular mobility, we propose a cost-effective framework structure consists of four separate cellular models. The framework includes a heterogeneous interwork model that integrates cellular WiMAX and UMTS. Moreover, a pure WiMAX network model along with two pure UMTS network models is set up by the framework. The performance of the heterogeneous model is evaluated via simulation and analyzed against the measured metrics of the pure models to quantify the level of improvements from QoS of the real time packets point of view. Based on the results, the recommendations are made on the most appropriate model in regard to better QoS for VoIP in cellular networks.