Reliable multicast in mobile networks

This paper describes a distributed algorithm for reliable multicast in mobile cellular networks. In the proposed solution the multicast message is flooded to all the base stations over reliable channels. The base stations then collectively ensure that all mobile nodes belonging to the multicast group get the message: the channels between the base station and mobile nodes are unreliable. The originality of our solution is that it is fully decentralized. Each base station can independently decide when to flush a message from its buffer. Even if a mobile node moves from one cell to another while a multicast is in progress, delivery of the message to the mobile node is guaranteed. Simulation experiments show that using the proposed solution, memory requirements at the base stations are significantly smaller than by using centralized solutions.