A Novel Smart Forwarding Scheme in LTE-Advanced Networks

Long Term Evolution (LTE) and IEEE 802.16 WiMAX are competing access network technologies adopted in 4G wireless networks in recent years. LTE complies with 3GPP standards whereas 802.16 WiMAX is regulated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Although WiMAX is already operating commercially in Taiwan, the system is limited to an independent new system that is incompatible with the current 3G system. Hence, the cost of implementing the WiMAX system is relatively high, this being an impediment to its rapid uptake and widespread use. On the other hand, LTE conforms to 3GPP that is supported by telecommunication manufacturers and operators and is, moreover, backward compatible with 3G/UMTS cellular systems. The LTE specifications define how user equipment (UE) connects and communicates with evolved Node B (eNB) base stations. The enhanced version, LTE-Advanced, adds a new entity called the relay node (RN) to widen service coverage, although this change has resulted in a more complex architecture. Mobility management and data forwarding are essential components in wireless mobile networking. This paper focuses on the efficient handover procedure in LTE-Advanced networks, and proposes a Smart Forwarding mechanism to improve the handover performance. Simulation studies show that the proposed Smart Forwarding scheme employs a better operational transmission path that effectively reduces handover latency and signal overhead.