Interworking techniques and architectures for WLAN/3G integration toward 4G mobile data networks

The intense wireless LAN standardization and R&D activities worldwide, combined with the recent successful deployment of WLANs, provide prime evidence that WLAN technology will play a key role in the fourth generation of mobile data networks. In this context, there is a strong need to integrate WLANs with 3G mobile data networks and develop hybrid mobile data networks capable of ubiquitous data services and very high data rates in strategic locations. This article addresses this need by proposing and discussing some novel architectures able to provide interworking between WLAN and 3G networks, and meet the requirements of the most common interworking scenarios. These architectures can enable 3G subscribers to benefit from high-throughput IP connectivity in hotspots and also to attain service roaming across several radio access technologies, such as IEEE 802.11, HiperLan/2, UTRAN, and GERAN.