Wireless Books

I'd characterize this book as qualitative rather than quantitative. It provides good verbal descriptions for a wide variety of concepts related to electromagnetics. For me, it tied together a lot of lose ends. This book works pretty well for someone who has a moderate grasp of the electromagnetic fundamentals and wants to go to the next level of understanding without becoming mired in equations -- maybe a sort of heavy duty tutorial for students, recent graduates, and just-plain-curious technically oriented people. This is one of those must-read books, but I would not recommend it to someone without knowldge of college-level physics and differential calculus.

Say what you will, but even the EMC/EMI "guru type" person gets confused once in awhile on the complexities of electromagnetics. So that leaves us "little people" in need of a handy, precise and basic-to-advanced "explainer" to get us back on track. I'm fairly seasoned on EMC but I really like this book and carry it with me quite often on trips for handy reference. It certainly provides for the "big picture" while still adding significant depth. Especially for the beginner to intermediate this book is highly recommended. I have this suspicion the advanced persons don't have it far away either! Congratulations to the author. Perhaps he will follow up with an advanced version on select topics.

The author has succeeded in writing an easy to read book. I read through it in two days. But is it useful and worthy keeping? The author covers a lot of ground, even included a cursory introduction to special relativity and quantum electrodynamics which have no relevance to the rest of the book. It gives a relatively painless introduction to various concepts in electromagnetism. But the superficiality makes it a book for the popular audience rather than electrical engineers. The author does have the good sense to include a set of good references. So read the book once, and study the reference books. The book is not worthy keeping. I've sold mine.

If you are not an expert in Electromagnetics and would like to get a broad perspective of the field without going into complex mathematics, this book is the right choice for you. All the explanation is clear and convincing. You will not feel like you are reading a book, but in stead listening to an expert in RF engineer speaking to you. In addition, you will find the references given in separate sub-topics very handy. They leads you directly to the right books when further knowledge in a specific area is required.

(Why 4 stars? Some topics can be given and discussed in more detail.)

I am dubious that this will be useful to a practising engineer, even though the book is part of the EDN series, ostensibly for design engineers. The level of treatment of electromagnetism is very elementary. Maxwell's equations are mentioned in the text, but are not actually given as formulae. Special relativity is covered, and some equations from it appear. Probably because these do not need the vector notation and the vector calculus that Maxwell's equations are often given in. Quantum mechanics gets a brief mention. And even quantum electrodynamics! All very qualitative. The descriptions are correct, as far as they go. But for a book on electromagnetics, at its level of sophistication, there really was no need to even mention QED. The multiple pages devoted to a high level walkthrough of QED are a dead end, as far as actually tying into the rest of the text. Non sequitar.

For example, one section talks about designing a transmission line. Fine. That is something an electrical engineer would do. But the skills needed for this do not require any quantum mechanics.

The book corresponds to a freshman level engineering text. A practising engineer should be well past this entry level offering. In fact, this book seems better suited for a technician, like an electrician.

book in great condition
got delivered very quickly.

The book is very indepth and the author really knows what he is talking about. I would not say it is a beginner's book by any stretch.

This is a very good book for those who need a very solid start on J2ME for serious development.
All relevant topics and technologies related to the usage of Mobile J2ME developemnt are well covered.

I am an experienced Java programmer. This book together with the NetBeans IDE allowed me to come up with a J2ME application in less than a week. The examples in the book is a great resource for learning to write J2ME applications. I learn best when I'm coding. In my case, I used the source from the PeekAndPick RSS Reader to come up with my J2ME text reader. The program has been heavily modified since, but the book provided sample code that was a great starting point for my learning.

This title is for the schooled j2me coder. The material is rather advanced, and the topics covered involve programming you will only really see on the corporate level. If you have just got that phone from xxxxx- service provider, don't start here if you want to write a quick app or game. Instead, go to J2ME The Complete Reference from Osborne/McGraw Hill- this will prove more beneficial. I was able to gain knowledge of what my future held with Java Micro if I chose the path, and this book put everything into perspective. Thanks IBM ;)
Hope this helps

This book contains so many industry-specific terms that are applicable to much more than just Telecommunications. You'll even find the odd humorous term sprinkled in there to keep things on the light side. I work in the telecommunications industry, and I have this book on my desk, by my side...Kind of like a small dog that just stares at you with his wet, beady, little eyes - eager to please, and waiting for you to show him the slightest hint of approval.

I bought last years edition, and it was dirt cheap (and still painfully relevant). If you're in IT/Networking/Telecommunications, there really isn't an excuse not to own this.

If you are in the telecom or IT industry or just want to familiarize yourself with terminology and practices relating to both, YOU MUST OWN THIS BOOK! A lot of the definitions are understandably technical but Harry Newton manages to be very informative AND amusing with his casual, down-to-earth writing style.

Used it for a class, but some of the definitions in this book were out of this world. Made for a good laugh. If you have it, look up flasher...

I needed a reference for Telecommunications that I could reference and fall back on while preparing for a Civil Service test to keep my job. Invaluable would be the word I would use. You may never need to use more then 2% of this book but what you need is almost garanteed to be in it if it has to do with Telecom.
Just an everyday Telecomm Info Systems Tech. DL

This should be a mandatory book for anyone working in the telecommunications industry. Not only is it comprehensive, but the explanations are direct, easily understood and sometimes humorous. Anyone who uses "oxymoron" in an explanation gets my vote.

A very well written, fast-paced, and captivating read about how a regulated scarce asset (spectrum) was captured by smart entrepreneurs. The author, Jim Murray, had a rare inside track as a participant in the industry. He maintains the reader's interest by describing (and perhaps, creating) larger-than-life & memorable characters.

This novel is actually pretty interesting after I read it. At first, I thought it was just another average book by some unknown, unpopular author that no one has ever even heard of before; but infact the novel got better and much more intriguing to me as I read on. There is a powerful transition given to the reader about how cell phones have changed our lives over the many years of development. It talks about how at first, they were just gigantic blocks that we would put up to our ears, and eventually get smaller and smaller, as well as more advanced over the years into what we have today.

The book also gives great detail about how life is working in the cellular business, and how it works all together and how there are so many cell phone companies fighting to see who is the best of all cell phone companies. This novel because it opened doors for my brain and world into the reality and history of cell phones. I recommend this novel to anyone highly interested in the cellular industry and anyone just curious as to how the cellular revolution began and is evolving to. :D

A thoroughly enjoyable read! Murray takes a series of broadly related threads culled from the rise of the US cellular industry and weaves them together to create a very interesting and informative narrative. It reads like a suspense novel complete with heroes, villains, intrigue, deceit, and a trillion dollar treasure. I completely expected a bland, tedious, historical documentary, but I found instead a gripping, page-turner that I had a hard time putting down.

For a book that calls itself wireless nation there is surprisingly little about the technology from the human aspect and how it came to be embraced by the common man. The book is informative,excrutiatingly so, about the early history of wireless spectrum distribution. The tales about the people involved and the way it changed the lives of the lucky few and the unlucky many is charming. However, the author would have done well to describe the phenomenon as it evolved into the ubiquitous tool that it is now, instead of harping on the POP (rights to spectrum in particular regions) distribution for what seems like ever (150 odd pages to be a bit more precise).
There isn't much here for the budding entrepreneur as some of the blurbs proclaim. 'Look ahead and don't give in too soon' is the simple, and only, story retold by every character in this book.
Another surprising fact is the complete lack of mention of the irridium satellite debacle that started of as a promising techno-tool for the same innate human-need, being able to talk on the phone on the move.
Overall, an informative but tedious book, the kind I wouldn't mind reading if only to fill another loophole in my knowledge of the world that surrounds us.

Very well written book! Jim Murray does a very good job of making an interesting story as he narrates how FCC distributed valuable cellular licenses in the US in the 1980s. Also, talkes about how McCaw built his empire. I highly recommend this for somebody who loves the world of telecom. However, this book is not for somebody looking for new business ideas or trends in the industry today.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The examples are clear. Programming experience will help you. If you know JavaScript, WMLScript will be a breeze. Chapters are easy to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn WML and WMLScripting!!! It is probably the best book on the market.

This book is by far the best!!!The author explains all the important details of WML and WMLScripting. This book is easy to read. Great for the experienced developer. A great reference. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants learn WML andWMLScripting. Knowledge of JavaScript will help the reader termondously. Knowledge of HTML and XML will also help. The authors assume the reader has knowledge of HTML, XML, and JavaScript. A great investment!!!

I've searched a lot for a good book on how to make WAP pages with WML and interactive wireless applications for mobile phones and PDA computers. This is the one - you will learn everything ther is, with this easy writen and well arranged guide. You need some knowladge on HTML and how Internet and client/server model works, but as far as WAP, WML and WMLScript is conserd, from a total begginer, you'll become an expert in a week.

This book from Ben Forta is a real guide for beginners as well as a reference book for advanced users. I bought this book and Professional WAP from wrox both of them helped me to come out in flying colours in my bachelor degree thesis.

In the computer trade journals that I read, a common topic over the last year or so has been the progress (often lack) of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). The common phrase always seems to be "poised to take off." However, despite the problems with bandwidth, valuable applications and security it does appear that it is the next area of rapid expansion of the Internet. The English speaking North American market is leveling off in the advent of new web users and while the market for the rest of the world continues to expand, it seems likely that will do so at a slow rate for the near future. Therefore, it is a good idea to learn at least the basics of what WAP can and cannot do.
When I received a request from a corporate client to offer a short course in Wireless Markup Language (WML), I looked around for a book with an adequate coverage of the basics of WAP. I chose this book because it was filled with basic examples that demonstrated the fundamental topics and moved on to some more advanced topics that were reasonable uses for WAP. This was of course necessary, as some of the hyped potential uses for WAP are pie in the airwaves. I cannot conceive of any circumstances where a large number of people are going to want their cell phones to constantly broadcast their geophysical position so that they can receive coupons from merchants in the area.
In working through the projects in preparation for the courses, my reaction was one of the best possible. My thinking through the exercises led to additional thoughts and ideas for teaching projects for the course. This is a solid introductory book in the basics of WAP, WML and WMLScript and I recommended it to the students.

By the time you read this, Amazon may have corrected the listing, but when I bought this book it was listed as having been published in 2006. Actually it's from 2002. I'm sure it was a good book then, but there have been a lot of changes in this field since then. However, this may be the best book available--astonishingly, there don't seem to be any other books on this topic.

One of the good books in the market about cell phones. As the title indicates, the book is targeted to the average user. It has some useful tips on understanding cell phone services in the North American market. A good understanding of the American market is important even for people in other countries. How many times I've been asked by folks in Australia and UK about global roaming, multiband, and multimode phones.

When I started a new job as a salesman for a software company offering solutions for the wireless communications market I bought this book. The result: in a few days I caught up with my colleagues and was able to very properly conduct myself in sales calls. I am buying a third volume, because the first 2 I gave to my customers. The last one, to a friend of mine who became IT Manager of a large communications company. He keeps it permanently on his credenza and it is his most frequently checked reference. If I could give Ms. Stetz more than five stars, I would.

Although you don't need to know how your cell phone works any more than you need to know how an internal combustion engine works in order to drive a car, it does help when it comes time to select a phone and service. This book will give you essential information for selecting the phone and service plan that's right for you. It does so in clear language, explaining technical details in a way that is not only understandable, but is actually fun to read. The author has a thorough knowledge of the industry and a gift for writing. That alone makes this book invaluable.

I appreciated the way that phone features and accessories were clearly explained. More importantly, I like the way Ms. Stetz navigates you through the confusing maze of service plans and options, which cuts through the confusion and makes you a more informed consumer. This is especially important when it comes to selecting a provided based on their technology. While the average consumer may thing that terms like GSM, TDMA and CDMA are not important, I can assure you from personal experience that they are. It also is important to know whether or not the provider you're considering has an all digital network or also has a mix of the older cellular technologies and digital because the ones with the old and new are less likely to impost roaming charges if you are in an area where digital service is unavailable and you have a phone that will switch modes. The providers that have only the newer digital technology will likely impose roaming charges if you go off their network, despite the advertising claims of for "anywhere" and "one rate". Armed with the information in this book you'll understand the fine print and can make informed decisions when selecting a provider (of understanding the costs of switching to a new provider).

If you're the type of person who is curious about how things work, then you're in for a treat because the book digs into details. Like the parts about phones, features and options, and service plans, the book sorts out the complexities and clearly explains them. You need not have a technical background (or even a technical mindset) to understand the book. I personally enjoyed learning about how the networks operate and what happens behind the scenes.

Enjoying this book depends on why do you want to buy it ??? .. if you are looking for general engineering information .. this book is not what you are looking for .. although it have some general information .. I think it's not sufficient .. but if you are just interested in knowing your mobile phone better and know some very basic concepts about the mobile phone networks.. you will enjoy this book ..
I did enjoy reading some of the chapters .. it's easy to read book .. but people who do not know any thing about communication will find a little bit difficulty in understanding some concepts ....
It's all your choice .. !!??

When I order from Amazon I expect prompt and accurate shipments.
This met those expectations.

I recently bought this book to revise my RF theory and design RF circuits for my projects and i'm happy that i bought this book. This book is well written and each component of wireless communication system is explained clearly with least amount of maths. The CD with software applications also helps you to design your wireless application. Overall good text.

It is a great invaluable book, it is an anatomy of the wireless building blocks and should be in the library of all engineers interested in the RF field but if you are a beginner or advanced engineer this book may not fulfill your interests, this book covers a lot of topics in between these two levels. even if you are a beginner buy it for future refrence.

At last, a good RF book. Sure, it's not perfect, but it puts the others I've read to shame.

Yes, a book that doesn't consider 30MHz "really high". That's progressed beyond vacuum tubes. Hell, it even discusses them newfangled ICs. In fact, digital radio is probably given more coverage than analog! This is modern pro quality, not stuck in 1970s tinkerer's-land.

The most shocking thing is the complete omission of Smith charts. Though after reading this, learning to use these charts should be a lot easier.

Also, it's quite hilarious (or sad) when the author starts to discuss the enclosed Puff program, and the tone of the work jumps back about 20 years ("the program will work with CGA and EGA, but **VGA** is recommended because the text can be smaller", etc)!!!

A fair bit about layout and PCBs is discussed, though I would have liked even more detail. Also, some sort of summaries or decision trees would be useful for the more complex design areas like matching networks.

Complete wireless design was a very useful book in developing an understanding of wireless systems, filters, matching circuits, microstrips etc...

For those who have a sound knowledge in Electronic engineering and wish to develop their knowledge in RF design, this is a great book to start with. If you have already studied RF or have a modest knowledge within this field then this probably isn't the book for you (could be used as a reference).

Because of the growing use of cell phones throughout the world, research into health hazards of mobile phones has intensified. The authors need to applauded for taking on a topic that is highly debateable, not to mention controversial. The book is well presented, but presents its case only on one aspect of the controversy.

As the author of "It's Your Call: The Complete Guide to Mobile Phones", I have a different take on the subject. There have been many studies on the effect of radio waves on mobile phone users. Not one has produced a repeatable, identifiable risk. So far the only established fact is slight heating. In fact, going for a walk will warm your head more than talking on a mobile.

Andrew Mennen
Author, It's Your Call: The Complete Guide to Mobile Phones
http://www.relianz.com.au

I was not satisfied at all with this book. As a matter of fact, I could not finish it. When dealing with areas of science, references are important. This author may have good information, yet without references it is hard to discern because there aren't any for 99.9% of the material in this book. It is hearsay or religion or more like a novel. If you are looking for information that can be researched or confirmed, this is not the book. Great artistic book cover, yet no hard evidence on the inside. It is true, 'you can't judge a book by its cover'. The title of the book gives a clue to the references in it, 'invisible'.

I am an avid anti-ELFer, and I was disappointed with this book, having read "Cell Towers: Wireless Convenience? or Environmental Hazard" by B. Blake Levitt first. I'm the type of person who wants the facts, the science, the politics, and not a whole lot mixed in - and I want to believe the researcher is honest and always has been.

What Carlo gives in this book is more of a novel, and a poorly written and confusing one at that. The author italicizes entire pages for emphasis, which leaves the reader straining his/her eyes for much of the book. Perhaps if he'd have written it in first person - since it was about him - it would have been a better book, and I could have overlooked that.

Add to this numerous grammatical errors - something I think an author who was not in a rush to get a book published quickly (to save face) would have hired a competent editor for - and I lost some respect.

Google "An Interview with Louis Slesin" to learn more about why I'm disappointed in this author/researcher. I'm not saying the book lacks accuracy. What I am saying is that it appears this researcher was trying to portray himself as a martyr, when, in fact, he may not have been as honest at the get-go of his research as he implies. I'm not sure what changed that, but I truly hope this author is sorry.

And if you've googled "An Interview With Louis Slesin", he, too, is disappointed in this researcher's refusal to disclose where the $25,000,000 that once was there for this critical research was spent on. Now the money is gone, and we are no closer to an answer.

[...]

I pray this researcher is truly sorry. I really do. I wanted to give him only 3 stars, but I'll give him 4 with that in mind. Levitt's book is a better choice.

Cell phones have become an integral part of American (and increasingly the world) society. They are ubiquitous in the business world and day-to-day life activities. The authors discuss in detail the risks associated with cell phones, particularly those of the digital variety. They tell the all to common tale of industry PR "spin" vs. public safety and common sense. While it may not be correct to state that cell phones cause brain cancer, the preliminary indications and not heart warming.

Thus far clinical studies have shown:

1) Cell phone radiation penetrates deep into the developing brains of children.

2) Cell phone radiation results in chromosomal damage to blood exposed to wireless phone radio waves. There is a link between chromosome damage and brain cancer.

3) Cell phone radiation breaks down the blood brain barrier. Think of the blood brain barrier as an immune system for the brain. As it breaks down, other environmental toxins more easily enter the brain and cause damage.

4) A number of studies showed a statistically significant correlation between brain cancer deaths and cell phone use.

5) Cell phone radiation can cause pacemakers to malfunction is they (pacemakers) are not properly insulated from cell phones that are within 6 inches of the pacemaker.

The above are based on elaborate human, animal, and laboratory experiments that examine the effects of cell phone radiation. The experiments in the book focus primarily on cell phone use - when the phone is near the head. If cell phone radiation is able to penetrate the human skull, the effects may be even more dramatic on soft tissue such as reproductive organs that may be continuously exposed to radiation by a phone carried in a pants pocket.

Based on the scientific evidence in the book you should avoid using a cell phone or being around one to be perfectly safe. Since that is not likely, the following precautions can be taken:

1) Despite the aggressive marketing practices of the industry towards children, keep cell phones out of the hands of your kids, they are particularly susceptible to the radiation generated by cell phones.

2) Use a hands free model and keep the phone away from your body.

3) If you put the phone up to your ear, point the antenna away from you.

4) If you have one of those cool little phones with a built in antenna, the whole phone is an antenna and you are getting a heavier dose of radiation. GET A HEADSET OR A DIFFERENT PHONE.

5) A cell phone has to pump out more radiation when the signal strength is low, try not to use the phone unless the signal strength is near 100%.

Initial studies show a clear link between cell phone radiation (especially associated with digital phones) and adverse health effects. In the next 10 to 20 years the effects will become apparent with the general public serving as the test subjects. Tread carefully on those wireless stocks over the long term, and take precautions today so you don't become a statistic. Many thanks to Dr. Carlo and Martin Schram for timely well written book packed with critical info for all wireless customers.

I can't say it better than Michael Fumento, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. who in his recent column "Is the cell phone scare finally over?", dated Jan 26, 2006 said:
/
Dr. George Carlo, then an epidemiologist working at the George Washington University School of Medicine, administered a $28 million research project funded from 1993 to 2001, via a blind trust established by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA).

As the project wound down, Carlo pre-empted a study that later appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He claimed it showed a tripling of the risk of a brain cancer called neurocytoma among cell-phone users.

Yet the study had no such conclusion. "Regardless of how frequently the phones were used per month or how many years that the phones were used, there wasn't any relationship with the developments of brain cancer," its chief author told PBS.

Carlo insisted he had no reason to fudge anything, since he wouldn't be "re-upping" for the project. He didn't mention his forthcoming book, Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age. Sigh.

And that's the sordid cell phone story. It's time for it to end. After all, there's so much more scary pseudoscience in need of media attention.
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In my opinion your hard earned money would be better spent elsewhere.

The book is a definitive source for someone who has little knowledge about the field of mobile commerce. The beauty of the text lies in the way the topics transition from a novice level to an advanced user level. The author has covered both the technological and the business aspects of mobile applications. One part that definitely needs to be mentioned here is the description of public and private keys for secure communication that was incredible. Nowhere had i read such a lucid description of the public-private key concept. The book is an easy read but extremely insightful. A must buy for those of you who want to keep up with the latest in technology.

This book serves as an excellent introduction to the field of m-commerce. It thoroughly covers the field in an insightful and clear manner. It has served me well as the foundation and starting point for web based retrievals of standard documents and white papers.

I have been following recent mobile commerce developments from both business model and technical perspectives and found that this Carnegie Mellon professor's book provides an excellent introduction to m-commerce, including recent developments in Korea and Japan.
The main goodness of this book is that it is structured (not messy) and principle-based (not superficial).
In addition, the way of explanation of this book is reliable and balanced, so I expect the life of this book is longer than some other messy books on 'mobile' stuffs.
I believe this book is also perfect as a textbook on m-commerce or supplement on e-commerce.

I picked up M-Commerce as I was curious where the mobile computing market was going. From where I was standing, I see a lot of hype and was not particularly impressed with the early WAP based services. Although relatively brief, Dr. Sadeh have managed to provide a good overall description of the mobile computing market, past, present and future as well as presented simply and clearly the technologies involved, the problems that need to be overcome and the successful business models that have been employed. As a guide to mobile commerce and it's potential for profitable business growth, I would recommend it highly to executives and other interested parties who are either thinking of jumping on the bandwagon or figuring out how increase competitiveness by leveraging on it.

Sadeh's "M-Commerce: Technologies, Services and Business Models" is an outstanding introduction to this, the next step in the e-business revolution.

Sadeh's writing style is very simple to understand and follow and he does an outstanding job of relating the material to everyday life through good, real-life examples. He cites current m-commerce usage in Japan and Europe and relates how it could be used here at home. Among his prime examples are NTTDoComo's I-mode, Nordea's WAP as well as vendors such as Ericsson, Nokia, and AT&T. You also get a good grounding in the technology and history of the mobile industry as well as best practice business tips that industry innovators have used to gain their competitive advantage. Overall, this is a great look at the technologies behind m-commerce and the various types of services it can afford.

Here is the listing of topics Sadeh addresses:

1. The Buzz Behind M-Commerce: Proliferation of mobile devices, personalized and location-sensitive services, new usage scenarios, etc

2. The M-Commerce Value Chain: Business models, content providers, aggregators, software vendors, equipment vendors, network operators

3. The Transition to 3G: 2G technologies, 2.5G technologies, wireless architecture

4. The Mobile Internet: TCP/IP on wired and mobile Internet, WAP architecture, WAP protocols

5. Mobile Security and Payment: Cryptography, digital signature, certificate authorities, public and private key encryption

6. M-Commerce Services: Information services, directory services, banking and trading, e-tailing, e-ticketing, entertainment, business applications

7. Next-Gen M-Commerce: Personalized services, location-sensitive services, global positioning services

Overall, this book is extremely easy to read and more importantly, a good learning tool. This book was used as the text for an m-commerce course I took during the fall of 2002. Whether you are studying this subject independently or whether you are an instructor looking to use this book for your course, you cannot go wrong with Sadeh's "M-Commerce: Technologies, Services and Business Models."

Highly Recommended

A simple, easy yet complete overview of the most important mobile network architectures. Can be used at the university as teaching material or as studying text.

I found the book to be very informative and well laid out for use as a reference. It has been a life saver in giving a good background on each technology. I have been asked by several of my wireless networking peers about the book and all have found it an excellent reference.

I used this book as the textbook for an undergraduate course in our computer enginnering department last semester. Unlike its alternatives, this book does not require a signal and systems background which makes it the ideal choice for departments such as ours. If you are teaching a group of CS or mixed EE/CS undergraduate students, I strongly recommend the book. In general, the book is easy to read and gives the reader a broad understanding of the topic. Chapters are organized in a manner that the book will be useful for the North American, European or Far Eastern community as examplified in the inclusion of different signalling systems from different regions. Another property of the book which makes it attractive is the inclusion of very hot topics such as VoIP,GPRS,WAP, 3G services, wireless local loop which makes the book timely and complete.

The typesetting makes this book unpleasant to read. However, it is the writing style that makes the reading a frustrating experience: The author throws you piles of technical terms without clearly explaining their meaning, or the relation to and difference from related acronyms. It might be a book for you only if you are already a telecom expert. Otherwise, you would probably find yourself in a similar situation to mine--hoping someone can help you with tons of questions you cannot find answers for from this book.

It is the personal opinion of the current reviewer that in order to understand the inside and out of wireless networking, you have to know not only the physical layer but also the high layer networking aspects. Some books do cover both physical layer and high layer, however, most of them lack the deepth on either one aspects or both. The reviewer understands the difficult task for both coverages, in the process of developing his new course on wireless networks, he took the following approach: use the best part on physical layer in one book, and switch to another book on high layer. The current reviewer chose this book to cover the high layer wireless networking aspects, this book provides most fundamental elements of wireless networking.

The nice thing about this book is that it is written by two individuals who have been extensively involved in developing the wireless networking technologies. It starts with the most important issue in wireless mobile networks: the mobility management in the general setting, detailing what call processes are involved, how handoff strategies are designed, how channel assignments affect the performance, how the control signaling among the commuincations entities are accomplished (IS-41 and GSM MAP). Then the authors shift their focus on the specific wireless systems: PACS, CDPD, GSM, GPRS and other applications. In distinction to other books, this book attempts to present the main ideas, and is a very good book for those who really want to know what is going on in wireless networking area, yet do not have time to figure out (do not care about) the details. It is also very excellent reference book for those technical experts who want to broad their horizon. The current reviewer finds the book very useful in his research when he wants to clear some doubts on certain topics.