Performance Optimization of Calls Handover in Realistic Wireless Cellular Network

The continuity of active calls is a major quality of service (QoS) determinant in wireless cellular syst ems. The ability of a cellular system to allow the transfer of ongoi ng calls from one cell to another is permitted by the handover proces s. Different techniques have been proposed and implemented to achieve improved handover service. The principal parameters used to evaluate handover techniques are blocking and force termination probabilities. This paper therefore studies the eff ect of handover calls in a realistic macrocellular environment. We quantify the study by taking measurements of the rate of handove r calls at various base stations in Akwa Ibom State (East regi on) of Nigeria, using the Airtel Nigeria network (formerly Zain telecommunications Ltd.) as a case study. We propose a system model and assume a uniform density of mobile users' throughput with equal likely mobility. We then derive and simu late a priority- based performance model using the observed data means of the system handovers as model predictors. A Geographic Information System (GIS) solution showing the distribution of s imulated force termination of call handovers is also presented usi ng the ArcGIS software. We discover from the simulation results t hat our model improves the system performance by eighty-six percent (86%). This remarkable improvement on the existing system will encourage network operators to approach handover issues with high degree of confidence that the network QoS should not be compromised.