The past decade has seen
more innovation in the area of mobile communications
than in any other area
of telecommunications. Our quality of life
has already
changed as a result and there
is undoubtedly a good deal further to travel.
It is no
surprise then to find that the references
to the various mobile
communications systems
are themselves very confusing. The object
of this
introductory section is to
attempt to make sense of some of this confusion.
A short description of each
of the main services is provided here and a more
extended treatment is included
in the sections which follow.
Paging
Systems
permit the user, who carries a pocket receiver, to be alerted
to the fact that he/she is
wanted. In most cases it is necessary for the user to
contact a central point in
order to find out what is wanted.
Private
Mobile Radio provides two-way voice and, possibly,
data
communication
between the user and a central point, or between users belonging
to the same
closed user group.
Cellular
Systems provide continuous communication between
mobile users
and any other telecommunications
terminal connected to the worldwide public
network whether mobile or
fixed. They are named after the technology of
providing small transmitter
/ receivers serving cells so that the scarce resource
of radio frequencies can
be re-used in non-adjacent cells. The moving mobile
is handed on to the cell
best placed to continue the communication.
Cordless
Systems started with the desire to have
the telephone with you in
the garden
or the bath. The cordless' phone communicates with the base station
which can be
in the home or, with the use
of Personal Communications
Networks (PCN), with a base
station in a public place.

