Wireless Asynchronous Transfer Mode (WATM) is a solution for next-generation personal communication networks, or a wireless extension of the Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (BISDN) networks. One of the major issues in wireless networking is handoff management. When a Mobile Host (MH) moves from one location to another, a handoff needs to be performed, which requires re-routing the existing connection. The re-routed connection may not be optimal, as a result optimum utilization of network resources may not be possible. In this paper, the authors propose a handoff mechanism model based on meta-heuristic approachGenetic Algorithm (GA) and Tabu Search (TS). The design of handoff mechanism has been proposed as a two phase scheme: the first phase results in a fast handoff so that the connection dropping probability is minimized; and in the second phase, GA and TS are applied to dynamically optimize the route, the result of which is efficient usage of network resources. The new optimized route based on Quality-of-Service (QoS) is responsible for the changes in the networks.

The Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network model has been evolving as the standard for future networking that is expected to carry voice, real time video and a large volume of still images in addition to the growing volume of computer data. ATM has made the Broadband Integrated Service of Digital Network (BISDN) a reality. It is technology that allows total flexibility and efficiency required for high speed multi-service/multimedia networks. ATM is a fast packet switching and connection-oriented transfer mode based on asynchronous time division multiplexing. It is considered to reduce the complexity of the network and improve the flexibility of traffic performance (Raychaudhuri and Wilson, 1994).

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