Through the Telco Lens: A Countrywide Empirical Study of Cellular Handovers
Authors: 
Michail Kalntis, José Suárez-Varela, Jesús Omaña Iglesias, Anup Kiran Bhattacharjee, George Iosifidis, Fernando A. Kuipers, Andra LutuAuthors Info & Claims
Pages 51 - 67
Abstract
Cellular networks rely on handovers (HOs) as a fundamental element to enable seamless connectivity for mobile users. A comprehensive analysis of HOs can be achieved through data from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs); however, the vast majority of studies employ data from measurement campaigns within confined areas and with limited end-user devices, thereby providing only a partial view of HOs. This paper presents the first countrywide analysis of HO performance, from the perspective of a top-tier MNO in a European country. We collect traffic from approximately 40M users for 4 weeks and study the impact of the radio access technologies (RATs), device types, and manufacturers on HOs across the country. We characterize the geo-temporal dynamics of horizontal (intra-RAT) and vertical (inter-RATs) HOs, at the district level and at millisecond granularity, and leverage open datasets from the country's official census office to associate our findings with the population. We further delve into the frequency, duration, and causes of HO failures, and model them using statistical tools. Our study offers unique insights into mobility management, highlighting the heterogeneity of the network and devices, and their effect on HOs.
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Index Terms
- Through the Telco Lens: A Countrywide Empirical Study of Cellular Handovers
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Published In
November 2024
812 pages
ISBN:9798400705922
DOI:10.1145/3646547
- General Chairs:
- Narseo Vallina-Rodríguez,
- Guillermo Suarez-Tángil,
- Program Chairs:
- Dave Levin,
- Cristel Pelsser
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License.
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Published: 04 November 2024
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- European Commission
- Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation and the European Union - NextGeneration EU
- National Growth Fund - Dutch 6G flagship project ?Future Network Services?
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