On the Design of Energy-Aware 3G/WiFi Heterogeneous Networks under Realistic Conditions

In this paper, we consider the design of 3G/WiFi heterogeneous networks under realistic operational conditions. The aim is reduce the energy consumed from batteries on mobile devices by utilizing the multiple available wireless interfaces and dynamically switching between 3G and WiFi. We conduct a set of experimental measurements in various network scenarios in order to identify the main components that impact energy consumption in mobile devices while connected to 3G and WiFi networks. The measurement results are then used to derive a generic analytical energy model as a function of the download data size and the effective download bit rate. A basic algorithm to switch dynamically between 3G and WiFi is designed based on the derived analytical energy model. An Android-based mobile application is developed to test the performance of the switching algorithm in real scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate notable energy reduction gains and, thus, highlight the potential benefits of intelligent switching in heterogeneous networks.