Seamless High-Velocity Handover Support in Mobile WiMAX Networks

The IEEE 802.16e standard (i.e., mobile WiMAX) has been proposed to provide connectivity in wireless networks for mobile users (including users at a vehicular speed). It is shown in the analysis that the probability of a successful handover decreases significantly when the user moves at a higher speed. Then, the authors propose a scheme that combines adaptive Forward Error Correction (FEC) with retransmission to offer extra protection for handover signaling messages to enhance the probability of a successful handover, especially at a higher velocity. It is demonstrated by computer simulation that the proposed scheme provides a higher successful handover probability at various velocities.