Third-generation (3G) cell-phone technologies have been a long time in coming. But they are with us now and are beginning to make a difference in cellular service, particularly in non-voice applications such as e-mail, Internet access, and video. The 3G technologies include the WCDMA system with its high-speed packet access (HSPA) upgrades, Qualcomm’s cdma2000 technology with its EV-DO systems and Rev A and Rev B upgrades, as well as forthcoming 4G technology known as Long Term Evolution (LTE). With 3G now upon us, it is more important than ever to understand these new systems, how they are designed and how they are applied. This book does a good job of covering this subject.

The primary emphasis is on the ITU's International Mobile Telecommunications 2000 standard that is developed and maintained by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). This is a WCDMA system with HSPA upgrades. The evolving LTE technology that will eventually replace the WCDMA system is covered. The book focuses on how to increase the data speed of cellular systems and all the related issues. This is dealt with at the mathematical level but the explanations are very clear. The book includes a great introduction to OFDM and multiple antenna technologies if you are still not up to speed on these essential wireless methods.

A huge portion of the book is devoted to the emerging HSPA technologies slowly being implemented in the US and worldwide. They make the WCDMA systems of today faster and more desirable. The remainder of the book is devoted to the LTE system. A good introduction if you are starting from scratch and a good reference if you are working in this field. I really liked the chapter on other wireless communications systems. A great summary and overview of cdma2000, Rev A and B, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), WiMAX, and the 802.20 system. A big downer is that there’s no coverage of the Chinese TD-SCDMA system, which is becoming a big part of 3G. Nonetheless, it is still recommended.

Access to the Internet is an increasing problem in many areas of the world. As the popularity and usefulness of the Internet increases on a daily basis, lack of access to the technology is putting many groups at a disadvantage in terms of better education, better jobs and even in terms of higher levels of civic participation. However, creating a network infrastructure to serve outlying communities and sectors of the population is not straight-forward.

This book brings together all the aspects of the problem – technical, regulatory and economic – into one volume to provide a comprehensive resource. It describes the latest technological advances that allow cost-effective network infrastructures to be built, and places them in the context of the applications and services that the infrastructure will deliver. A section on business models and case studies from North American and Europe demonstrate that the solutions are economically and practically viable.

This book is essential for anyone looking to gain an understanding of the issues and technology surrounding the access debate. It will be of particular relevance to network engineers/designers/planners at the incumbent operator companies charged with delivering broadband access to as yet unconnected regions.  Governments and regulatory bodies will also find this a useful guide to the problems that they may face.