VOICE AND DATA INTEGRATION OVER MICROCELLULAR MOBILE RADIO NETWORKS

Abstract

A new concept is proposed for a dynamic length microcellular structure that has the potential to provide a communication link to all mobile users roaming in the service area. The implications of the system as well as its practical implementation are also addressed. Then, a queuing priority channel access protocol is presented for an integrated voice and data traffic on the air interface of a microcellular mobile radio network. As voice calls are time-critical and the interruption of a conversation is unbearable, the strategy aims at minimising this phenomenon. Data traffic, on the other hand, are served on a delay basis as the prompt delivery of data is not stringent A methodology is developed for an accurate traffic modelling of the network when adopting the strategy. The traffic model is based on more realistic and sound concepts such as the evidently finite number of users roaming in a microcell as well as the impact of vehicular traffic flow on the traffic load. In addition, the effect of the hostile mobile radio channel on data transmission is considered. Handover traffic of both voice and data sources, handover priority, data queuing and the number of roaming mobile stations are accommodated in the modeL The highway microcellular mobile radio network is considered as a case study. However, the analysis is fairly general to other microcellular scenarios. Performance metrics such as blocking, handover failure and service transfer to next microcell probabilities are derived from the state probability of the microcell base station. Numerical results are presented and discussed.