BKGSMSSP.RVW   990502

"GSM: Switching, Services, and Protocols", Jorg Eberspacher/Hans-Jorg
Vogel, 1999, 0-471-98278-4
%A   Jorg Eberspacher joerg.eberspaecher@ei.tum.de
%A   Hans-Jorg Vogel hans-joerg.voegel@ei.tum.de
%C   5353 Dundas Street West, 4th Floor, Etobicoke, ON   M9B 6H8
%D   1999
%G   0-471-98278-4
%I   John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
%O   416-236-4433 fax: 416-236-4448 rlangloi@wiley.com
%P   274 p.
%T   "GSM: Switching, Services, and Protocols"

Chapter one reviews the number of mobile standards worldwide, and the
protocol genealogy of GSM from Groupe Special Mobile to Global System
for Mobile Communication.  Radio frequency considerations and access
methods are discussed very clearly in chapter two.  Addressing scheme
problems are amply demonstrated by chapter three, not only in regard
to the technical protocols required, but also by the enormous alphabet
soup provided.  (Some of the acronyms are never fully expanded; the
expansion of others occurs only on pages that are not referenced by
the index.)  Services provided are covered in chapter four.  For those
from the North American telephony community, it is recommended that
you brush up on your ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
protocols.  Chapter five looks at the air interface, which corresponds
to the physical layer of a networking model.  There is a great deal of
detail to be examined, and this is the second longest chapter in the
book.  A fair amount of data processing takes place in chapter six,
for compression, authentication, and other encryption purposes. 
Chapter seven outlines the overall architecture, and interlocking
protocols, of GSM.  For true global mobility number portability is an
important consideration.  Chapter eight describes the roaming
standards, and the related topic of handover.  With the strong links
to ISDN, data communications is quite possible, and the provision for
data is discussed in chapter nine.  Chapter ten looks at network
management.  The book closes with a look to a future with universal
mobile telecommunications service protocols.

While the awkwardness of a translated work sometimes comes through, in
general the text is clear and readable.  The style and structure of
the book make clear the fact that it is intended as a course text, but
it is also quite usable as a professional reference.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999   BKGSMSSP.RVW   990502