The communication paradigm of the always-connected user is driving an exponential offering of diverse access and networking technologies. As a result, the need for an orchestrated heterogeneous environment drives the current research and development on cooperative policies over the wireless medium. This book, part of the “Springer Briefs in Computer Science” series, provides the appropriate environment for describing, in a concise manner, forward-thinking solutions for technologies under development. The text offers a thorough analysis with hands-on tips, and provides insight on the decentralized implementation of cooperative radio resource allocation in a heterogeneous wireless access medium for two service types: single-network and multi-homing services.

The introductory chapter provides an inside look at cooperation in wireless communication networks, the heterogeneous wireless access medium, and the radio resource allocation within. Chapter 2, based on an appropriate system model, introduces a decentralized optimal resource allocation algorithm, accompanied by an adequate set of evaluation results.

In chapter 3, the authors stretch the performance of the aforementioned algorithm in a dynamic system and modify it toward a suboptimal algorithm that takes into account short-term traffic load and network cooperation. They examine the efficiency of the discussed solution with respect to performance and implementation complexity.

Chapter 4 utilizes the full system with the coexistence of single-network and multi-homing services and the extended radio resource allocation algorithm. In that sense, two algorithms are introduced. First, a “centralized optimal resource allocation algorithm [is used] to find the optimal network selection for mobile terminals with single-network service. [... Then,] the corresponding optimal bandwidth allocation for mobile terminals with single-network and multi-homing services” is outlined. A decentralized implementation offers extended capabilities for devices in both cases of service. An informative set of tests is provided, allowing full evaluation of the variants.

A brief and concise conclusion is provided in chapter 5, allowing the reader to identify the best solution for a given environment. “Future Directions” provides a challenge to the readership that intends to take the cooperative technologies in modern wireless heterogeneous environments a step further.

Overall, with implementation in mind, this book offers a well-thought-out and nicely deployed set of ideas and solutions on a hot topic. It presents sufficient analysis, which provides a companion for system developers, network designers, academics, and the research community in general. This well-structured reference work contains a wealth of useful material.