Fixed/Mobile Convergence and Beyond

Book excerpt: Mobile communications users are demanding increased reliability, functionality, and accessibility; they want "always on" access to voice, e-mail, text, and multimedia services as they roam from home to auto to office to outdoor/indoor locations. In addition, there is an increasing deamnd to replace separate landline/mobile telephones with a single handset that can be used wherever its owner might be. Answering those customer needs, fixed/mobile convergence (FMC) marries the mobility provided by cellular networks with the extended connectivity provided by 802.11-based WiFi services and integrates them with landline networks using a single handset.This book provides the theoretical and practical background necessary to successfully plan, develop, and deploy effective FMC networks. This book discusses the various 802.11 and VoIP protocols used in FMC networks, open and proprietary communications protocols, integration of FMC networks to wired telephone networks, mobilizing applications such as text messaging and video, security issues, mobile handset requirements for FMC networks, and the administration/management of FMC networks. Special attention is given to selecting appropriate components for FMC, and numerous case histories and examples from the author's experience are provided.This book is an essential tutorial and reference for any RF/wireless, communications, and networking professional who will work with the next generation of wireless networks. - Describes how to develop, deploy, and manage networks that seamlessly combine landline, cellular, and WiFi networks into one converged communications network - Thorough coverage of various 802.11 and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) standards and how they impact integration with cellular networks - Discusses security considerations and how to successfully manage converged networks - Includes numerous case histories and examples from the author's experience---this is not a purely theoretical treatment of the subject!