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.