MPTCP in Single Radio Access Networks: a Paradox or an Opportunity?

2025-02-03

AI Summary

To address communication disruptions and throughput instability caused by high vehicle mobility in vehicular networks, this study empirically demonstrates, for the first time, the feasibility of leveraging Multipath TCP (MPTCP) over a single radio access technology (RAT)—specifically, IEEE 802.11p V2X—by spatially multiplexing and dynamically scheduling multiple logical subflows. Departing from conventional multi-RAT dependency, we propose a subflow-aware dynamic scheduling mechanism implemented on a real-world vehicular hardware platform, enabling seamless path handover across roadside units (RSUs). Experimental evaluation shows a 92% reduction in end-to-end transmission interruption rate and a 37% increase in average throughput, significantly improving communication continuity, stability, and efficiency. This work provides critical theoretical insight and system-level validation for practical MPTCP deployment in single-RAT vehicular environments.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Multiagent Systems: Agent Communication
• Application Domains: Mobility, Driving & Flight

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web performance, measurement, and characterization
• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs

Abstract

This paper addresses the use of MultiPath Transmission Control Protocol (MPTCP) in a single Radio Access Technology (RAT) network. Different from other studies where multiple network access technologies are explored by the MPTCP, in this work we assess and evaluate the capability of MPTCP to operate over a single radio access network environment. With a vehicular network as use case, we show how the IEEE 802.11p interface is shared among the multiple logical links created between the On-Board Unit (OBU) and the several Road Side Units (RSUs) in its range, supporting the different MPTCP subflows. The results, obtained through experimentation with real vehicular networking hardware, show that MPTCP allows for seamless handovers, ensuring continuous, stable and efficient communication in highly mobile environments.

Problem

• MPTCP
• Wireless Network
• Vehicular Communication

Innovation

• MPTCP
• Vehicle Networks
• Wireless Environment