A solution for mobile DTN in a real urban scenario

The growing number of mobile devices equipped with a wireless interface and the end-user trend to shift toward wireless technology is opening new possibilities for networking. In particular, opportunistic communication embodies a feasible solution for environments with scarce or costly infrastructure-based connectivity. In this context we provide a delay-tolerant solution that provides service opportunistic connectivity. Our approach follows the Delay/Disruption Tolerant Network (DTN) paradigm by implementing a store-carry-and-forward communication model among mobile users and buses, the latter embodying carrier entities. A user can delegate the carrier a request which involves Internet access. This request is then forwarded to the bus station's Internet Gateway (IG) in an opportunistic fashion, including both data muling and multi-hop transmission through other buses. Once the request is served at the bus station's IG, the result is opportunistically sent back toward the bus line where the user expects the result. In this paper we present our idea and discuss results obtained through simulations in a realistic urban scenario.