Performance Analysis of Hybrid Coupling Interworking Architecture

Heterogeneous network designing involves some interworking issues such as seamless handoff or roaming, mobility management, security and charging problems etc. The integration of WLAN and UMTS network is probable to create more opportunities for service providers to provide enhanced services to customers. There are mainly three issues measured to obtain seamless continuity: interworking architecture, fast inter-system handovers and real time services similar (QoS) in both networks. This paper focuses on exploring enhancement in the service domain through the hybrid architecture (hybrid of loose coupling and tight coupling) compare to individual architecture based interworking between UMTS and WLAN. The loose coupling internetworking architecture, though it is simplest and easy to deploy, offer increased handover latency reducing QoS by way of delayed services. Under tight coupling internetworking system, users of WLAN are able to get the services of UMTS with guaranteed QoS along with seamless mobility. On other hand the capacity of UMTS core network nodes may not handle/manage bulky data traffic from WLAN because of the fact that UMTS core network nodes are primarily designed to handle/manage circuit voice calls or short packets. Based on the traffic type, a hybrid coupling scheme differentiates the data paths. The data path for real time traffic is taken up tightly coupled network architecture while non-real time traffic/bulky traffic is taken up loosely coupled network architecture to enhance over all service level.