Abstract
The concept of Always Best Connected (ABC) is pivotal to the emerging scenario of 4G networks, which intends to integrate different network technologies in order to exploit mutual advantages and to provide a variety of services to the users, maximizing their satisfaction on the one hand and maximizing the network and service providers' profits on the other hand. The ABC concept allows a person to have access to applications using the devices and network technologies that best suit his or her context, needs or profile at any time. In order to realize this concept, unprecedented technical challenges need to be addressed. This research proposes the idea of an Iterative Integration Model determined by the actual user base, as the most business savvy path towards the ABC network paradigm. In addition, this research also maintains that the key to such integration model is to start with a single, basic common factor that would be of interest to the cross-section of the user base considered, and identifies cost as that factor within the research context. In order to demonstrate that such integration can be both evolutionary and hence natural, and speedy as it can leverage on the status quo, this research tackles one of the key issues of seamless integration: vertical soft-handoff. A solution model integrating two access networks with substantially large user bases, on the most widely used mobile device platform, has been explored. Keeping in view the time and resource constraints, the concept of Application Layer Roaming (ALR) has been made use of to eliminate network-related preoccupations.