In this paper, we propose and evaluate a new channel assignment scheme for a micro-cellular network integrating data and conversational services. The channel assignment scheme combines handover processing depending on terminal speed with a preemptive scheme. High-speed terminals take over the channels of data terminals upon entering a full cell, while the data terminals are put in a queue until new resources are available. Simulating several variations of the scheme, allowing both fast moving data and voice terminals to preempt data terminals yielded the best result. Suspension time for fast moving data terminals was reduced dramatically, reducing the disadvantage caused by a high number of handovers. The cost was a small increase in blocking probability for new terminals.

This paper discusses the potential benefits of H0-based ISDN. By providing widespread H0 (384kb/s) call services, much like today's telephone systems, it should be possible to bring multimedia public communication services to the general public. Small distributed switching systems and reuse of existing metallic loops will contribute to its economical construction and rapid expansion into general use. System-on-a-chip technology, expected to appear soon, will make the necessary small switching systems cost-effective. The short loops resulting from the distribution will allow Hl-band (1.5/2.0Mb/s) metallic loops to be used. In terms of function, the distributed switching nodes will permit node-by-node customization, which will make switching systems simple and flexible. The proposed node-by-node customization will allow subscribers in each different node to choose they prefer. H0-based ISDN will provide various type of nodes, supporting various types of subscriber loops, whereas present public networks enforce standardized subscriber loops. Furthermore, when customized subscriber switching systems accommodate star-LAN interfaces as subscriber loops, the public network will be able to provide LAN services in a closed area as part of the public network services. The LAN users will be able to converse with ordinary residential subscribers through H0-calls. This will lead to the integration of LANs and public networks.

A microcellular network will be a good candidate for the future broadband mobile network. It is expected to support high-bit-rate connection for many fast mobile users if the handover is processed fast enough to lessen its impact on QoS requirements. One of the promising techniques is believed to use for the wireless interface in such a microcellular network is the WLAN (Wireless LAN) technique due to its very high wireless channel rate. However, the less capability of mobility support of this technique must be improved to be able to expand its utilization for the microcellular environment. The reason of its less support mobility is large handover latency delay caused by contention-based handover to the new BS (base station) and delay of re-forwarding data from the old to new BS. This paper presents a proposal of multi-polling and dynamic LMC (Logical Macro Cell) to reduce mentioned above delays. Polling frame for an MT (Mobile Terminal) is sent from every BS belonging to the same LMC -- a virtual single macro cell that is a multicast group of several adjacent micro-cells in which an MT is communicating. Instead of contending for the medium of a new BS during handover, the MT responds to the polling sent from that new BS to enable the transition. Because only one BS of the LMC receives the polling ACK (acknowledgement) directly from the MT, this ACK frame has to be multicast to all BSs of the same LMC through the terrestrial network to continue sending the next polling cycle at each BS. Moreover, when an MT hands over to a new cell, its current LMC is switched over to a newly corresponding LMC to prevent the future contending for a new LMC. By this way, an MT can do handover between micro-cells of an LMC smoothly because the redundant resource is reserved for it at neighboring cells, no need to contend with others. Our simulation results using the OMNeT++ simulator illustrate the performance achievements of the multi-polling and dynamic LMC scheme in eliminating handover latency, packet loss and keeping mobile users' throughput stable in the high traffic load condition though it causes somewhat overhead on the neighboring cells.

This paper discusses a common channel signaling system in which multiple micro-switching systems can converse as though configured like a conventional centralized switching system. A micro-switching system is a switching system whose main functions are integrated on a chip, like a microprocessor. Progress in MOS technology will soon make micro-switching systems possible, and their small scale and economy will allow subscriber switching systems to be distributed closer to subscribers. This will allow shorter subscriber loops, so subscriber networks will be able to reuse existing metallic lines as H1 (1.544/2.048Mb/s)-class subscriber loops. Economical micro-switching systems and reuse of existing network resources will contribute to the establishment H0 (384kb/s)-ISDN, so that every subscriber will be able to enjoy multimedia communications through HO-calls as simply as using present telephones. Four alternative signaling network architectures are examined, classified by arrangement of their signaling transfer junctions and signaling links, and a new signaling system featuring cell-based transfer functions is proposed. This is suitable for a distributed micro-switching-system network in order to minimize the figures of merit, which collectively estimate network cost and signaling delay.

This paper proposes a next-generation narrow-band ISDN (N-ISDN), including a suitable network and network node architecture. The proposed N-ISDN allows every subscriber to use H0/HI-class calls as easily as present telephone calls, and could rapidly expand ISDN services to all the subscribers of a public network. The present status of ISDN is first analyzed then the need for popularization of H0/HI-call services is discussed. The proposed key technologies to popularize HO/HI services are (1) on-chip integration of ISDN switching systems, (2) distribution of small on-chip switching systems over the subscriber switching area, (3) H0-based trunk circuit networks using H0 on-chip switching systems and (4) efficient and flexible call management for 64-kb/s basic-class calls. An estimation of hardware volume of switching nodes is used to show that the proposed architecture is more economical than other possible alternatives, i.e. conventional ISDN and B-ISDN.