Through the Telco Lens: A Countrywide Empirical Study of Cellular Handovers

Michail Kalntis, José Suárez-Varela, Jesús Omaña Iglesias, Anup Kiran Bhattacharjee, George Iosifidis, Fernando A. Kuipers, Andra Lutu

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeConference contributionScientificpeer-review

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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.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIMC 2024 - Proceedings of the 2024 ACM Internet Measurement Conference
PublisherACM
Pages51-67
Number of pages17
ISBN (Electronic)9798400705922
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024
Event2024 ACM Internet Measurement Conference, IMC 2024 - Madrid, Spain
Duration: 4 Nov 20246 Nov 2024

Publication series

NameProceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM Internet Measurement Conference, IMC
ISSN (Print)2150-3761

Conference

Conference2024 ACM Internet Measurement Conference, IMC 2024
Country/TerritorySpain
CityMadrid
Period4/11/246/11/24

Keywords

  • measurements
  • mobile networks
  • network performance
  • network topology
  • traffic analysis

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