Mobility Management in Heterogeneous Cellular Networks

Abstract

This paper has analysed the mobility management schemes in heterogenous cellular networks (HCNs) considering their power consumptions and network selection delays. The HCNs are the key enabler for 5G cellular network to ensure better user connectivity in ultra-dense networks. Large numbers of small cells are deployed under a macro-cell targeting network hot spot. However, ensuring seamless coverage to the mobile subscribers in motion is challenging in such networks. Frequent handoff between the cells with different bandwidth, throughput, latency, and coverage penetrations, significantly increases the signalling overhead in network. In this context, an efficient mobility management scheme plays a key role for the success of HCN technology. In this paper, a detailed behavioural study of mobility management schemes used in HCN has been provided. For mobile users in the network, the power consumption and network selection delay has been evaluated for k-tier architecture of HCN.