The 18th Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC'07)
NETWORK SELECTION ALGORITHM FOR HETEROGENEOUS
WIRELESS ENVIRONMENT
Bojan Bakmaz Zoran Bojkovic
Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, University of Belgrade
Belgrade, Serbia
ABSTRACT
Service delivery in a heterogeneous wireless environment
requires the selection of an optimal radio access network. In
order that users could be always connected through the
optimal network, it is necessary to develop an adequate model
for its selection. This paper presents the proposal of optimal
network selection algorithm in wireless heterogeneous
environment that is based on TOPSIS method when solving
the multicriteria analysis. The wireless networks in this model
represent the alternatives, while the network parameters
(available bandwidth, quality of service level, security level,
data transfer cost) are considered as the criteria for
determining the optimal network.
I. INTRODUCTION
An important characteristic of perspective wireless
communication systems is the compositeness of
communication model where the combination of different
wireless and even wired technologies is used for providing a
large number of services for users to access from "any place
and any time". Wireless access networks are different in
terms of their general characteristics such as: bandwidth,
coverage, security, cost and Quality of Service (QoS).
However, differences can exist among networks with the
same architecture. For example, two WLAN networks based
on IEEE 802.11 standard can be different in terms of security
and QoS as well as the data transfer cost. In such
heterogeneous environment the problem of the optimal
network selection for delivery the required multimedia
content, appears from the user point of view.
In an environment of multiple access technologies, the
concept of "being always connected" becomes Always Best
Connected (ABC) [1]. ABC represent a vision of fixed and
mobile wireless access as an integral and challenging
dimension in developmental paradigm of the next generation
wireless networks. It is a strategic goal to define important
advancements that happen and are predicted in technologies,
networks, user terminals, services, and future business models
that include all this and that will help while realizing and
exploiting new wireless networks. In order that users could be
always connected through the optimal Radio Access Network
(RAN) it is necessary to develop an adequate model for its
selection. Since other parameters must be taken into
consideration beside the Relative Signal Strength (RSS), this
problem can be looked at from the aspect of multicriteria
analysis. There are many methods for solving the multi
criteria analysis model and among the important ones are
TOPSIS, AHP, PROMETHEE and ELECTRE.
There exist some network selection algorithms in the open
literature. The most conventional is fuzzy-logic-based
algorithm that adopts the RSS threshold and hysteresis values
1-4244-1144-0/07/$25.00 ©2007 IEEE.
Miodrag Bakmaz
as input parameters [2]. The algorithm presented in [3]
optimizes the network selection process through minimizing
handover delay for real-time services and maximizing
throughput for non-real-time services. However, these
network selection methods are based on inadequate decision
factors. RSS and traffic load alone are not able to present the
whole network performance. The user’s requirements are too
important to be ignored.
In the network selection scenario, users are always trying to
seamlessly access high-quality wireless service at any speed,
any location, and any time through selecting the optimal
network. Therefore, ensuring a specific QoS is the objective
in the process of network selection. One of the suggested
mechanisms for the network selection relies on the
combination of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Grey
Relational Analysis (GRA) of the multi criteria analysis
method [4]. This method mathematically presents a complex
solution and unnecessarily takes into account a large number
of QoS parameters (delay, jitter, response time, bit error rate,
etc.) only for 3G and WLAN networks. Processing a large
number of parameters the computational time is increasing
and the user terminal and infrastructure network elements are
additionally loaded so it is problematically interesting but not
adequate for a direct implementation.
Mechanism proposed in [5] is based on a unique decision
process that uses non-compensatory and compensatory
multicriteria decision making jointly on the network side to
assist the terminal to select the top candidate network. The
proposed mechanism is more comprehensive compared to the
methods previously mentioned, but also unnecessary
considers too many network parameters.
RSS condition represents traditional handover in
homogeneous wireless environment when mobile user moves
to a new base station only if the current signal level drops
below a threshold and if signal level from target base station
is stronger than the current one by a given hysteresis margin
[6]. Network selection based on this condition is necessary
but insufficient condition for network selection in
heterogeneous environment. An algorithm for the selection of
optimal network from the set of available RAN that satisfies
the RSS condition with defined threshold and hysteresis is
developed in this paper.
The parameters provided from network that the terminal
uses for making the decision are available bandwidth, QoS
level, security, and cost. Weight coefficients can be adjusted
depending on user demands and the demands of multimedia
applications. Networks are ranked based on the closeness to
the ideal solution by TOPSIS (Technique for Order
Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method. A
software application is developed for the evaluation of
algorithm and the specific cases are tested. A possible
implementation model is developed.
The 18th Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC'07)

II. NETWORK SELECTION SCHEME BASED
ON TOPSIS METHOD
TOPSIS multicriteria decision method that was developed
by C. Hwang and K. Yoon in 1981 is based on a concept that
the chosen alternative should have the shortest Euclid
distance from the ideal solution and the longest from the
unideal solution. Criteria can be presented in
multidimensional coordinate system where each has a
coordinate axis. It is assumed that each criterion’s usability
monotonously grows or falls, so it is easy to find an ideal
solution made of all the best criterion values reached and the
unideal solution made of the worst values. This method is
simple and it gives an indisputable sequence of solution
preference.
The following network parameters are particularly
important for vertical handover decision and because of that
fact, they will be observed in the suggested model: available
bandwidth (B), QoS level (Q), security level (S) and data
transfer cost (C).
Transition to a network with better conditions and higher
performance would usually provide improved QoS levels.
Delay, jitter, error rate, and other parameters can be measured
in order to decide which network can provide a higher
assurance of continuous connectivity. The levels of QoS and
security should objectively be declared by the service
provider on the basis of ITU-T recommendation Y.1541 [7].
By declaring the QoS level in this way, we will avoid a
complex examination of QoS parameters by users and the
additional load of user terminals and other network elements.
The cost of the different services to the user is a major issue,
and could sometimes be the decisive factor in the choice of a
network. Different broadband wireless service providers and
cellular service providers may well provide a variety of
billing plans and options that will probably influence the
customer’s choice of network and thus handoff decision.
In order to compare the attributes of different values and
The model of this problem has no criterion of the same
value degree so it is necessary for the user to define which of
the parameters (criteria) is more important in advance
depending on multimedia content that is being transferred.
For example, for the transfer of video content the most
important parameter is bandwidth, in the case of voice
transfer the most important is QoS, while in the case of data it
is security. More operations for determining the weight
criteria coefficients are developed in the theory. The entropy
method is chosen because it presents an exact approach. The
weights set based on its attribute entropy within the same
criterion and range within all criterion models can be
combined with the weights that are given by the decision
bearer (in this case the user) based on the preferences. The
algorithm of entropy method for defining the weighted
coefficients consists of the following steps:
Step 1: It is necessary to transform the model so that all
criteria become the types of maximization. The relations in
the model stay unchanged, but the nature of criterion cost is
changing (min → max) in the following operation
xi*4 = 1 − xi 4 , for each i ∈ {1, 2,..., n} .
Step 2: Determining the entropy of value parameters based
on relation
[ ]
n
e j = [− 1 / ln( n)] ⋅ ∑ rij ln(rij ) , j ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4} . (2)
i =1
Step 3: Determining the deviation within each criterion
d j = 1 − e j , for j ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4} .
Step 4: Determining the weight coefficients
4
Wj = d j / ∑d j , (3)
j =1
if the user equally prefers all the parameters , or
4

different units of measurement it is necessary to use the Wj = d jwj / ∑ d jwj , (4)

j =1
process of vector normalization when the starting matrix
xij (Table 1) moves into normalized matrix rij , where if the user determines the subjective weights, where wj = 0.4
nx 4 nx 4
is for the proffered, and wj = 0.2 for other parameters.
After finding the weight coefficients using the entropy
n
method, we can continue with TOPSIS method by creating
rij = x ij / ∑x 2
ij , rij ∈ [0, 1] . (1)
i =1 the weighted matrix Vij = W j ⋅ rij . Then the ideal solution
n×4
is the set
Table 1: The starting matrix for model.
A + = {( max V ij j ∈ J ); (min Vij j ∈ J ' )} , (5)
B (Mb/s) Q (level) S (level) C (1/Mb) i i

where J is the set of criteria that is being maximized and J’ is

max max max min
the set of criteria that is being minimized. This model is
Net1 x11 x12 x13 x14 transformed while finding the weight coefficients so that all
parameters become the types of maximization and based on
Net2 x21 x22 x23 x24 that relation as well. The ideal solution in this case is the set

Neti xi1 xi2 xi3 xi4 A + = {( max Vij j ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4})} . (6)
i

Netn xn1 xn2 xn3 xn4 Analogous to (6), the unideal solution is the set
Wj W1 W2 W3 W4 A− = {( min Vij j ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4} )} . (7)
i
The 18th Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC'07)

Euclid alternative distances, in relation to the ideal and Lastly, the ranking of networks can be done through the
unideal solution, can be calculated from relative closeness to the ideal solution expressed as
4 Di−
Di+ = ∑ (Vij − V j+ ) 2
j =1
(8) Di =
Di− + Di+
, Di ∈ ( 0,1) , (10)

and where the best network is the one with the largest relative
closeness to the ideal solution.
4 The algorithm of the suggested model is shown on Fig. 1
Di− = ∑ (V ij − V j− ) 2 . (9) and it is possible to test it in real environment as well as by
j =1 using the generated network parameters through the simulated
model.

III. MODEL TESTING AND PROPOSAL FOR IMPLEMENTATION

A software application is developed for testing the
algorithm with source code written in Borland C++
surroundings. The source code can be implemented in mobile
terminals with the adequate Graphic User Interface (GUI) so
that the user can be provided with a faster and simpler way of
connecting to the optimal access network. The results of
model testing are shown through three representative
scenarios for three available access networks.
According to first scenario, the user’s preferable parameter
would be bandwidth and for that parameter the weight
coefficient W1 = 0.44 is determined through the entropy
method. According to the result of simulation (Table 2) Net3
is declared as optimal network, although Net2 is better as far
as all the other parameters. But, the difference between the
value parameters Q, S, and C has proved to be marginal
comparing to the meaning of parameter B.

Table 2: The example of testing model results – 1st scenario.

B Q S C
normalized matrix
Net1 0.498 0.286 0.389 0.088
Net2 0.089 0.828 0.944 0.695
Net3 0.872 0.458 0.821 0.614
Wj 0.44 0.12 0.27 0.17
weighted matrix
Net1 0.218 0.034 0.105 0.015
Net2 0.039 0.098 0.255 0.121
Net3 0.381 0.054 0.221 0.107

In the second example of model testing the user did not

Figure 1: The algorithm for optimal network selection model.
have specific preferences for any parameters so W1 = 0.44 is
determined for the weight coefficient of bandwidth through
the entropy method based on service demands. Beside the
bandwidth the safety parameter (W3 = 0.30) has also proved to
be important for this application while the QoS and cost are
of less importance in this case (W2 = 0.10 and W4 = 0.16). The
Net1 is determined as an optimal access network because it is
better than any of the two networks according to all its
The 18th Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC'07)

parameters. The results of the testing that presents this is relevant to user because it is evident that in the case of
scenario are shown in Table 3. vertical handover the strength of radio signal is not sufficient
indicator for the analysis of heterogeneous wireless network
performances. The suggested model finds simply and
Table 3: The example of testing model results – 2nd scenario.
effectively the optimal balance between the service demands,
B Q S C user demands, and network condition.

normalized matrix IV. CONCLUSION

Net1 0.881 0.310 0.418 0.419 In this article we developed a novel network selection
algorithm for optimal wireless network selection in
Net2 0.884 0.161 0.080 0.776 heterogeneous environment. We integrated available
Net3 0.626 0.192 0.058 0.234 bandwidth, QoS level, security level, and the data transfer
cost. An algorithm for the optimal network selection is
Wj 0.44 0.10 0.30 0.16 developed based on TOPSIS method. Some scenarios are
tested and the implementation model is suggested. For further
weighted matrix research, one of the ideas is to integrate more network
Net1 0.392 0.031 0.124 0.067 parameters into the model and to analyze their importance for
making the decision about network selection and the
Net2 0.375 0.016 0.024 0.123 influence of complexity level in the algorithm evaluation.
Net3 0.278 0.019 0.017 0.037 REFERENCES
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Net1 0.169 0.869 0.681 0.976 [7] ITU-T Rec. Y.1541, "Network Performance Objectives for IP-Based
Services", May 2002/Feb. 2006.
Net2 0.254 0.132 0.269 0.993
[8] R. L. Aguiar et al., "Scalable QoS-Aware Mobility for Future Mobile
Net3 0.056 0.229 0.878 0.274 Operators", IEEE Communication Magazine, vol. 44, no. 6, June 2006,
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Wj 0.12 0.15 0.15 0.58
weighted matrix
Net1 0.020 0.132 0.103 0.567
Net2 0.030 0.020 0.041 0.577
Net3 0.007 0.035 0.132 0.159

For a model functionality on the application level and

provide the necessary data it is important to implement
software modules based on the proposed algorithm into the
mobile terminals and hardware and software modules in QoS
broker that would interact with Authentication Authorization
Accounting (AAA) servers. The adequate QoS architecture
for heterogeneous environment with integrated QoS
management is proposed in [8]. Model implementation would
provide the significant improvement of perceived QoS. That