Handbook of Mobile Radio Networks: Sami Tabbane; Artech House, 2000, ISBN 1-58053-009-5

appeals to a wider audience of intermediate to advanced level, implying that the reader is assumed knowledgeable about basic communication and network technologies. The chapters are supported by illustrations and very informative tables that may, in their own right, act as the guiding material. Throughout the book, depth and breadth are well balanced, while the list of references provides a pool of suf®cient readings for more demanding readers. The references span from classic papers to recent research results. Hence, the book can also easily qualify to accompany a graduate course on mobile computing as a useful reference. The book starts with a general introduction to mobile systems and networks in general. To achieve perspective, a historical view is given that includes the past, present, and a projection of the future. Throughout, the author points out the role played by technology in driving this progression. The author's deep grasp of mobile network engineering and operations is quite apparent in this brief discussion. Chapter 2 describes mobile radio propagation including relevant antenna properties and propagation prediction models), and Chapter 3 presents radio channel access methods FDMA, TDMA, CDMA) and protocols CSMA, reserva- tion, etc.). It is important to understand the innovations that are shaping the access network. Chapter 4 discusses radio modem and Space Division Multiple Access SDMA). The ®fth chapter `Security', simply put, delivers the message: protect your network before you use it! While the ®rst ®ve chapters may be considered as a high- level tutorial on terrestrial mobile radio networks and systems, the next three chapters describe the authors view about what is principally signi®cant in bringing success in cellular network planning and management. The basic prin- ciples underlying cellular systems are explained in detail in Chapter 6. The design of cellular systems in terms of engineering and cell planning are the themes of Chapter 7. The chapter is based on several informative examples that illustrate the importance of this process, and the computa- tional models of calculating the bene®ts. It provides a practical insight and is quite a valuable contribution by the book. Two important procedures for mobility management, namely handover and location management, are covered in Chapter 8. There seems to be too much to put into this short chapter, therefore it lacks depth. The second part, beginning with Chapter 9, is devoted to ®ve types of terrestrial mobile radio systems, viz. profes- sional radio Chapter 9), cordless systems Chapter 10), paging systems Chapter 11), cellular networks Chapter 12), and wireless data networks Chapter 13). The ninth chapter describes the use of the two principal PMR families, namely conventional system and trunked system. The ®nal chapter `Wireless Data Networks' is an important conclu- sion of the book. The chapter gives an overview of the evolution from WLAN to GPRS. It stresses the requirement of interoperability, integration, and ¯exibility. There is a very strong push toward broadband wireless technologies and their impact on broadband systems and services management. This is a resounding message being recog- nized by all service providers. There were a few areas in which the book could have been a bit stronger. It would have increased the utility of the book, had it included more on the wireless data networks and mobile IP issues. In the systems area, it would have been useful to treat in some detail the issues associated with the purchase and integration of commercial off-the-shelf systems. Even large carriers are increasingly turning to this approach as a faster and more cost-effective option than home-grown systems in many situations. Notwithstanding, the book re¯ects the vast personal experi- ence of the author in the area of developing mobile radio networks and their management. It is of great value to cellular network practitioners. A plethora of technical information is summarized in the space of a single book. It is refreshing to see that the book interleaves analytical techniques with many practical examples, references, and factual data. It is not designed to be a textbook, but it rather gives the ®rst layer of excellent reading to those who want to quickly understand the issues of modern terrestrial mobile radio systems. It is easy to read and serves its purpose well. Debashis Saha Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Jadavpur University Calcutta 700032, India 0140-3664/02/$ - see front matter q 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0140-366401)00344-9 Book Reviews / Computer Communications 25 2002) 341±343 343

Handbook of Mobile Radio Networks: Sami Tabbane; Artech House, 2000, ISBN 1-58053-009-5

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