xv
Preface
Telecommunication is a fast, ever-changing eld of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics). I have been associated with this eld for the past 20 years and have had the
opportunity to work for the technology organizations of three leading service providers—Sprint
(U.S.), Jazz (Veon), and Telenor Pakistan (Telenor Group). I am currently working at the ICT
(Information and Communication Technology) policy-making institute—Ministry of Information
Technology and Telecommunication, Pakistan. Based on these two distinct experiences, I made
an attempt in this book to cover not only the technical attributes but also the policy elements of
telecommunication.
The purpose of this book is to enable the readers to understand the technological ecosystem along
with certain key policy/regulatory elements of mobile telecommunication. The key phases of this
ecosystem include research and technology development, standardization, product development,
network development, device and application development, and burning challenges and best
practices. A separate section has been allocated to each of these phases.
• Section I looks into the concepts of basic and applied research along with their applicability
to telecommunication. Next, the allocation/identication of the radio frequency spectrum
at the global level along with some solutions to address the spectrum needs of 5G (fth
generation mobile communications) are discussed.
• Section II describes the standardization processes of key SDOs (Standard Development
Organizations). The key concepts of 5G that are either under standardization or have been
standardized are also described. Additionally, a high level governmental/regulatory policy
for 5G is also provided.
• Section III describes the domain of semiconductors and product development which is the
following step after standardization. Internet-of-Things is described as a potential next
growth engine for the semiconductor industry.
• Section IV presents the end-to-end architecture of a mobile network. All the key areas of
a network including radio access network, transport network, core network, and operation
support systems are discussed. The radio access aspects of 4G (Long Term Evolution
[LTE]-Advanced) and 5G NR (New Radio), transport network technologies, 5G NGC
(Next Generation Core), end-to-end 5G network architecture, network development, and
many other characteristics of mobile networks are described.
• Section V—Smart phones and smart applications have brought seismic change to the way
we communicate and conduct business. To support ITU’s (International Telecommunication
Union) requirements for 5G, certain components of devices such as batteries, processors,
and antennas may require major upgrades. These potential enhancements are discussed
from the perspectives of theoretical standards and state-of-the-art innovations. Application
delivery mechanisms along with exciting applications such as mobile money and Internet
of Things (IoT) are explained.
• Section VI explains some of the industry’s key challenges as well as the best practices that
can be later addressed/used in the subsequent generation of mobile telecommunication.
The book also presents a number of case studies that may help the readers to learn about ICT from
the perspectives of both developing and developed economies. To assist academia, every chapter is
provided with a mix of simple and thought-provoking problems. A solution manual is also available
from the publisher for the assistance of instructors.