Context-aware Macro-Femto handover for Energy Efficiency of outdoor users

In this paper, we present an innovative mechanism that enables a mobile terminal to efficiently perform handover decisions from Macrocells to Femtocells. Due to the fact the Femtocell networks are randomly deployed forming a new unplanned network layer in the actual planned Macrocell network layer, the use of additional information support from the network side is essential in order to enable discovery mechanisms for all Femtocells in the mobile terminal surroundings. For this purpose, the Macro-Femto handover algorithm introduces an innovative and complete mechanism that uses context information (provided by EU project C2POWER architecture) for Femtocell discovery procedures. Finally, the proposed mechanism uses a handover decision based on the required transmission power to select the best cell to connect to. Simulation results using the proposed mechanism, in a scenario with Macrocells and indoor Femtocells, show that outdoor mobile terminals are able to increase the power efficiency by reducing the overall transmission power.