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Dual-mode handsets and multimode terminals are generating demand for solutions that enable convergence and seamless handover across heterogeneous access networks. The IEEE 802.21 working group is creating a framework that defines a Media Independent Handover Function (MIHF), facilitates handover across heterogeneous access networks, and helps mobile users experience better performance during mobility events. In this paper, we describe this 802.21 framework and also summarize a Media-independent Pre-Authentication (MPA) mechanism currently under discussion within the IRTF that can further optimize handover performance. We discuss how the 802.21 framework and the MPA technique can be integrated to improve handover performance. Finally, we describe a test-bed implementation and validate experimental performance results of the combined mobility technique.

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The advent of the mobile wireless Internet has created the need for seamless and secure communication over heterogeneous access networks such as IEEE 802.11, WCDMA, cdma2000, and GPRS. An enterprise user desires to be reachable while outside one's enterprise networks and requires minimum interruption while ensuring that the signaling and data traffic is not compromised during one's movement within the enterprise and between enterprise and external networks. We describe the design, implementation and performance of a Secure Universal Mobility (SUM) architecture. It uses standard protocols, such as SIP and Mobile IP, to support mobility and uses standard virtual private network (VPN) technologies (e.g., IPsec) to support security (authentication and encryption). It uses pre-processing and make-before-break handoff techniques to achieve seamless mobility (i.e., with little interruption to users and user applications) across heterogeneous radio systems. It separates the handlings of initial mobility management and user application signaling messages from user application traffic so that VPNs can be established only when needed, thus reducing the interruptions to users.

Traditionally, signal-to-noise ratio of a mobile determines the handoff dynamics of the mobile. But in certain cases, precise location of the mobile augmented by information services, such as IEEE 802.21 MIS, can expedite the handoff with similar performance results. We illustrate an experimental system that takes advantage of the mobile's relative location with the neighboring access point to perform proactive handoff. It keeps track of the current location of the mobile and then uses the information from the neighboring networks to help perform the proactive handoff. Proactive handover technique helps the mobile to communicate with these networks before the handover is complete thereby reducing the delay and packet loss. In some cases, location-assisted handover could prove to be more useful compared to the handover technique based on signal-noise-ratio.