The importance of propagation phenomena in personal communication networks

The first generation of cellular mobile radio networks is commercially deployed in many countries. The second generation will be digital and will come into service in the early 1990s. Similar remarks can be made regarding cordless telephones networks. More advanced mobile systems are being contemplated, and the effect of mobile communications on social life will be far reaching. The author examines the broad scene and the vital role that radio propagation has in the second and higher generation mobile networks. The author commences with a set of thumb-nail sketches of the incoming digital networks. Next, the cardinal propagation phenomena and how they have affected the second generation networks are discussed. Future systems which might operate by shaping the propagation phenomenon to suit their aims are also discussed