Handover Optimization and User Mobility Prediction in LTE Femtocells Network

Mobility prediction in cellular networks helps in reducing the number of unnecessary handovers (HO). The deployment of large number of femtocells renders the challenge of reducing the number of unnecessary users’ handovers challenge of great importance. Femtocells achieve higher data rate and extend the coverage area in cellular networks. Deploying a huge number of femtocells results in more frequent initiation of an HO procedure. In this paper, a novel algorithm based on the Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) and some User Equipment (UE) parameters like moving direction and the position inside the femtocell used as HO decision criteria. The goal of the proposed algorithm is to nominate the most proper target femtocell among many candidates and to eliminate the redundant HO in femtocell based cellular networks. Toward this goal, the results show the proposed algorithm will increase/decrease the HO success/failure probability, respectively.