Next generation heterogeneous wireless networks offer the end users with assurance of QoS inside each access network as well as during vertical handoff between them. For guaranteed QoS, the vertical handoff algorithm must be QoS aware, which cannot be achieved with the use of traditional RSS as the vertical handoff criteria. In this paper, we propose a novel vertical handoff algorithm which uses received SINR from various access networks as the handoff criteria. This algorithm consider the combined effects of SINR from different access networks with SINR value from one network being converted to equivalent SINR value to the target network, so the handoff algorithm can have the knowledge of achievable bandwidths from both access networks to make handoff decisions with QoS consideration. Analytical results confirm that the new SINR based vertical handoff algorithm can consistently offer the end user with maximum available bandwidth during vertical handoff contrary to the RSS based vertical handoff, whose performance differs under different network conditions. System level simulations also reveal the improvement of overall system throughputs using SINR based vertical handoff, comparing with the RSS based vertical handoff.
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