Enhancing TCP performance for intersystem handoff within heterogeneous mobile networks

Various wireless access systems such as 2.5G/3G cellular systems and WLANs have quite different characteristics in terms of bandwidth, coverage, delay and cost. No single access system can provide every service satisfying all user's diverse needs with cost efficiency. Most of the heterogeneous mobile networks will be combined and complementary constitute a hierarchical network. In this paper, we consider the efficient and seamless TCP data transfer within the hierarchical network. We specify some problems that the current TCP will experience during an intersystem handoff and propose some simple modifications to enhance TCP performance and present the results.