Fast Handover with Integrated Authentication for Hybrid Networks

We analyze how to speed-up handover in and between GSM (global system for communications) and UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system). On one hand these systems face problems with high-speed users, e.g. those moving in a high-speed train. On the other hand it is known that there are security problems in GSM authentication, which also weaken UMTS when having handovers between both systems. Therefore additional authentication is integrated into the handover process. We show how and how much time can be saved in the handover process to allow additional authentication. Several approaches are compared and one implementation that can be done without changes of the hardware components or specifications in UMTS and GSM is shown.