A signaling architecture for wireless ATM access networks

A multiservice wireless Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) access system is considered from a signaling protocol viewpoint. In an attempt to generalize and extend results and experiences obtained from the specification, design, and implementation of fixed ATM‐based access networks, we extend the concept of the broadband V interface (referred to as VB) for application to wireless ATM access networks. The proposed architecture follows the signaling structure of Broadband ISDN (B‐ISDN) User–Network Interface (UNI), thus offering the possibility for integration of the wireless ATM access system into fixed B‐ISDN. It is shown that the use of the proposed access signaling architecture provides cost effective implementations without degrading the agreed Quality of Service (QoS), and simplifies call/connection and handover control. The evaluation of the proposed access signaling protocol structure yields results that fall within acceptable ATM signaling performance measures. A performance comparison of our approach with an alternative access signaling configuration is also carried out to quantify the relative gains. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.