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JCM 2026 Vol.21(3): 431-447
Doi: 10.12720/jcm.21.3.431-447

Multi-Service Caching-Based Load Balancing in Multi-RAT Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Communication

Mohammed Mudhafar Shakir1, Lukman Audah1, Roshayati Yahya1,*, Mohammed A. Altahrawi2, Abdinasir Hirsi1,3, and Abdullahi Farah4
1Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Parit Raja, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia
2Department of Computer Engineering and ELECTRONICS, Faculty of Engineering and Smart Systems, University College of Applied Science (UCAS), Gaza, Palestine
3Faculty of Engineering, Jamhuriya University of Science and Technology, Mogadishu 2602, Somalia
4Engineering Department, Somtel Telecommunication Company, Bosaso 25290, Somalia
Email: mohammedm_1990@yahoo.com (M.M.S.); hanif@uthm.edu.my (L.A.); rhayati@uthm.edu.my (R.Y.); mtahrawi@ucas.edu.ps (M.A.A.); abdinasirhirsi@just.edu.so (A.H.); abdalla.gaash@somtelnetwork.net (A.F.)
*Corresponding author

Manuscript received September 7, 2025; revised October 27, 2025; accepted November 4, 2025; published May 25, 2026

Abstract—Vehicular-to-Everything (V2X) communication enables data exchange between vehicles and infrastructure, playing a crucial role in autonomous and connected driving systems. However, growing vehicular density often leads to Radio Access Network (RAN) congestion. To mitigate this, Multi-Radio Access Technology (Multi-RAT) networks offer diverse services and data rates, enhancing throughput and reliability, but they also introduce the challenge of effective Load Balancing (LB) among heterogeneous RATs. Conventional LB approaches, such as those based on Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) or Time-to-Leave (TTL), struggle under dynamic mobility and service variability. This paper proposes two novel LB frameworks: the Multi-Service Caching-Based Load Balancing (MSCLB) and the Intelligent Multi-Service Caching-Based Load Balancing (IMSCLB) schemes. The IMSCLB integrates service-aware caching with a CNN-LSTM predictive model to forecast RAT load and optimize resource allocation adaptively. Simulations conducted across three RATs (IEEE 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ad) and three service categories (Safety, Traffic, and Information) demonstrate substantial improvements over traditional methods. Specifically, MSCLB improves throughput by 10 Mbps, boosts packet delivery ratio by 10%, and reduces latency by up to 6%, while IMSCLB further enhances performance consistency, achieving satisfaction rates of 99.89%, 99.99%, and 99.99% for 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ad, respectively. These results validate the effectiveness of integrating service-aware caching and predictive intelligence for efficient load balancing in heterogeneous vehicular networks.


Keywords—caching, load balancing, multi-RAT, Vehicularto- Everything (V2X), multi-service

Cite: Mohammed Mudhafar Shakir, Lukman Audah, Roshayati Yahya, Mohammed A. Altahrawi, Abdinasir Hirsi, and Abdullahi Farah, “Multi-Service Caching-Based Load Balancing in Multi-RAT Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Communication," Journal of Communications, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 431-447, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).

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