Survey of Mobile Communication Systems and Handover

Abstract: After more than two decades’ development, modern mobile cellular networks now have almost approached to the commercial level of fourth generation communication networks. For each of the mobile solutions, there are special attributes but also similarities compared to the other competitive solutions. We can also find relationships between the old generation solutions and the inheritors or innovations. During the communicating session using any kind of existing mobile handset, the handover procedure is a very important one that may effect connection quality and also the phone call continuity. Nowadays, the mobile cellular networks have a trend to interact with LAN networks. They will co-exist and work together to support higher data rate over a wider coverage. Seamless handover proposals like Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) can support the heterogeneous handover between Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Wireless (Wi-Fi) Network. Several Media Independent Handover (MIH) proposals can handle the vertical handover in the hybrid mobile data network environment such like between wireless local area network (WLAN) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) by different solutions.