MADM methods based on utility function and reputation for access network selection in a multi-access mobile network environment

Several wireless and mobile access technologies such as LTE, 3G, 802.11, WiMaX, etc, are omnipresent in the mobile terminal environment and offer different flows (e.g. data, voice and video). This heterogeneous environment requires the integration of different technologies in order to exploit their complementary characteristics and provide the mobile terminal with the best connectivity anywhere and at anytime, thus respecting the Always Best Connected (ABC) [1] concept. Mobile terminal, equipped with multiple interfaces, can choose the most appropriate access network of another technology among the others that are available in order to improve its quality of service (QoS). Thus, the process of switching between two different technologies it is called Vertical Handover. In this paper, we present a combination between Utility function, Reputation theory and Multi-Attribute Decision Methods for the selection of the best network alternative that ensures a better quality of service requested by the user.