Performance evaluation of the suitability of Opportunistic Networks for the Future Internet

The wireless world is migrating towards an era that will comprise wireless network infrastructure, as well as more local/temporary structures which, for instance, can be called Opportunistic Networks (ONs). ONs can comprise various terminals/devices, potentially organized in an infrastructure-less (ad-hoc) network mode, and be terminated at a set of access points of the infrastructure-based network. The decision of the infrastructure-based network, to create or not such a ONs will be dynamic, should respect traffic, energy and mobility aspects and should also envisage anticipated QoS related benefits for the whole network. Framed within this statement, this paper aims at recommending whether and when the creation of such a ONs will be beneficiary for the overall network. Indicative simulation results are presented, which yield the conditions in which the adoption of such a solution can lead to enhanced application provision, extended access capabilities, better resource utilization, lower costs and management decisions with a “greener” footprint.