1. Requirements for Network Selection
May 2004
Requirements for Network Selection
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor

2. May 2004
The Problem
As WLAN hotspots proliferate, users are presented with more choice
Each choice potentially has different capabilities that will effect the user
How does the user decide which hotspot to attempt to authenticate with?
Need to base decision on more than just signal strength
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor

3. What can we find out already?
May 2004
What can we find out already?
In IEEE , we can already discover:
Data rates
Security capability (RSN or not)
Identity of hotspot operator
QoS capability
Isn’t this enough?
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor

4. Requirements PAWLAN presents some unique issues:
May 2004
Requirements
PAWLAN presents some unique issues:
Operators want to offer access to roamed users
Operators would like to offer new user sign up services
Operators want some degree of control over their users
Operators want to charge
From the user perspective, it is useful to discover information about operator policy up front.
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor

5. What additional information do we want?
May 2004
What additional information do we want?
Is this a public hotspot?
May be inferred from other information
Roaming capability
Does this hotspot support roamed users?
Roaming agreements
Can I reach my home operator?
Charging policy
How much hard earned cash will I have to part with?
New User Signup
Can a user with no previous subscription register?
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor

6. When do we need this information?
May 2004
When do we need this information?
Ideally, this information assists AP selection
So it’s needed pre-association
This requires support in Beacon/Probe
Need to be realistic about what will fit
May be we can provide just enough information to allow the STA to work things out
e.g. if SSIDs were more meaningful hints
Alternative:make some information available post-association, but pre the authentication exchange
Might take a bit longer
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor

7. May 2004
Conclusions
There is a definite requirement to support provision of augmented information for AP selection
The appropriate way to make this information available depends on what the information is
Need to establish what information is useful when
Need an established procedure to allow STA to understand what’s going on
Eleanor Hepworth, Siemens Roke Manor