Handoff rate analysis in heterogeneous cellular networks
Wei Bao, Ben Liang · 2014
Horizontal and vertical handoffs are important ramifications of user mobility in multi-tier heterogeneous cellular networks. They directly affect the signaling overhead and quality of calls in the system. However, they are difficult to analyze due to the irregularly shaped network topologies introduced by multiple tiers of cells. In this work, a stochastic geometric analysis framework on user mobility is proposed, to capture the spatial randomness and various scales of cell sizes in different tiers. We derive theoretical expressions for the rates of all handoff types experienced by an active user with arbitrary movement trajectory. Empirical study using real user mobility trace data and extensive simulation are conducted, demonstrating the correctness and usefulness of our analysis.