Seamless mobility in 4G systems

ISSN 1476-2986 The proliferation of radio access technologies, wireless networking devices, and mobile services has encouraged intensive nomadic computing activity. When travelling, mobile users experience connectivity disturbances, particularly when they handoff between two access points that belong to the same wireless network and when they change from one access technology to another. Nowadays, an average mobile user might connect to many different wireless networks in the course of a day to obtain diverse services, whilst demanding transparent operation. Current protocols offer portability and transparent mobility, however, they fail to cope with huge delays caused by different link-layer characteristics when roaming between independent disparate networks. In this dissertation, I address this deficiency by introducing and evaluating practical methods and solutions that minimise connection disruptions and support transparent mobility in future communication systems. Firstly, I show that repercussions on the link can be minimised by using the appropriat