Mobility Adaptation layer Framework for heterogeneous wireless networks based on mobile IPv6

Abstract

Today's second generation's packet service GPRS and the emerging 3G mobile cellular networks are only some of the technologies moving towards a mobile IP future. Wireless access technologies such as IEEE 802.11, WiMAX (IEEE 802.16a) and the DVB-T standard will also change the mobile user behavior of today. Hence, the future 4G network will constitute the integration of heterogeneous networks, including a large number of different access technologies. But, regardless of whatever 4G networks may look like, it is foreseeable that heterogeneous IP networking will be a strong driver in future research and commercial deployment. Moreover, it looks as if the one common factor is that 4G networking requires to provide All-IP architectures and connetivity to anywhere and at anytime. Mobile IPv6 and its enhancements combined with the proposed Mobility Adaptation Framework, will "glue" together the different radio networks to provide pervasive access to the Internet in the near future. " Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.