Cell Selection Behaviour in Buildings with Indoor Cells: An Exploratory Study

In forensic cell site surveying, the objective is to determine whether a connection to a specific mobile cell can be established at a given location. Current literature relies largely on measurements outside, often overlooking the significant impact of indoor base stations, which are now widely deployed in current mobile networks. This oversight could lead to an incomplete analysis of cellular connectivity and necessitates a more comprehensive approach to include indoor measurements. This paper presents an exploratory study that examines the cell selection behaviour of a mobile device within a building equipped with indoor cells. The study compares the device's behaviour across various floors inside the building to its behaviour as observed through measurements outside, as recommended by current forensic guidelines. The findings are in line with other published measurements. In combination, they challenge current assumptions prevalent in existing literature, highlighting the need for revised forensic methodologies to account for indoor cellular dynamics.