BKCDPD.RVW   961119
 
"Cellular Digital Packet Data", Muthuthamby Sreetharan/Rajiv Kumar, 1996,
0-89006-709-0, U$89.00
%A   Muthuthamby Sreetharan
%A   Rajiv Kumar
%C   685 Canton St., Norwood, MA   02062
%D   1996
%G   0-89006-709-0
%I   Artech House/Horizon
%O   U$89.00 617-769-9750 800-225-9977 fax: 617-769-6334 artech@world.std.com
%P   315
%S   Mobile Communications Series
%T   "Cellular Digital Packet Data"
 
It's strange that the AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System or Analog Mobile Phone
System; what everyone knows as cell phones) network had been around for a dozen
years before the idea for cellular digital packet data (CDPD) was patented.  I
guess everyone had been waiting for the other guys to come up with a full scale
digital cellular network.  CDPD is *not* digital cellular, but rather the use
of the analog net for the transfer of digital data in a more efficient manner
than simply hooking a modem to a cell phone.  Chapter two of the book looks at,
and compares, the whole range of digital cellular, PCS (Personal Communication
Services), and satellite networks.
 
I hope the good folks at Artech won't be offended, but while their titles are
undoubtedly important, they tend to be, well, boring.  Sreetharan and Kumar are
to be commended for ensuring that, while they never sacrifice accuracy or
necessary technical detail, the book is not only readable, but quite
fascinating in places.  It is heavy, and occasionally acronyms are used before
they are defined.
 
The bulk of the book contains detailed descriptions of the architecture,
physical layer (airlink), link layer, subnetwork protocols, radio resource
management, mobility factors, network management, and deployment.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996   BKCDPD.RVW   961119

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Editor and/or reviewer        ROBERTS@decus.ca         rslade@vanisl.decus.ca
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