Consisting of selected technical contributions to the European Project COST252, this volume provides many innovative results which can be the basis for new global telecommunications systems providing multimedia services at high rates. It also presents new perspectives on communications problems in various areas.

Hardbound. It is universally recognized that mobile and personal communications will play a significant role in the future telecommunications market. Research in this area is currently being undertaken in industry, public administration and research institutions, in Europe, the USA and Japan. The main emphasis of these activities is towards the definition of 3rd and 4th generation systems for mobile and personal communications for use at the beginning of the next century. These systems are intended to realise the true meaning of personal mobile radio communication i.e. allowing people to communicate freely with each other from homes or offices, cities or rural areas, fixed locations or moving vehicles. The satellite component of these future systems offers in particular an effective means of providing services to underdeveloped areas (e.g. Central and Eastern Europe).The book contains articles from leading researchers from international institutions an

"Communication Satellites" chronicles the worldwide development of communication satellites over a period of more than four decades. Includes drawings of satellites, communication subsystem block diagrams, coverage maps, extensive references, and a supplemental bibliography.

"Raj Pandya, international expert in Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT), guides you through the past, present, and future of mobile and personal communication systems. Telecommunications professionals and students will find a comprehensive discussion of mobile telephone, data, and multimedia services, and how the evolution toward next-generation systems will shape tomorrow s mobile communications industry. A broad systems overview combined with carefully selected technical details give you a clear understanding of the basic technology, architecture, and applications associated with mobile communications. You ll learn valuable information on numbering, identities, and performance benchmarks to help you plan and design mobile systems and networks. A timely discussion of underlying regional and international standards will keep you informed of the influences at work in the industry today. You ll also gain essential insights into the future direction of mobile and personal communications from an in-depth analysis of: * International Mobile Telecommunications 2000 (IMT-2000) * Global Mobile Satellite Systems * Universal Personal Telecommunications * Mobile Data Communications * The outlook for GSM, IS-136, and IS-95. MOBILE AND PERSONAL COMMUNICATION SERVICES AND SYSTEMS is indispensable reading for anyone who wants to understand what lies ahead for this rapidly evolving technology."