This book may seem too tiny to fulfill the ambition of a basic reference for wireless practitioners, especially as it is not linked to any specific certification exam. However, the topics are very carefully selected, the content achieves a reasonable level of detail, and the text is supported by numerous charts and figures, which make it truly readable. All this turns this relatively small volume into a comprehensive reference textbook for both newcomers and professionals in the area of wireless communications as it stands in 2012.
The content is oriented to mobile networks, though backhaul is not paid too much attention. There is little information on wireless technologies with short range, such as wireless local area networks (WLANs) and wireless personal area networks (WPANs), except for listing the respective standards. Wireless communication is a very hot area where research, development, and standardization move very quickly, so it is no wonder that this book does not cover them all and only briefly indicates the work in progress. However, the book shortchanges even some technologies that have been on the market for a while and would be useful for wireless practitioners, such as free space optics (FSO) and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX).
The technical content is divided into six chapters. The first is an overview of wireless access technologies, and the second deals with network and service architectures. These areas are the most important for proper understanding of wireless networks today, and thus these chapters form the major part of the text. Chapter 3 presents a quite detailed discussion of network management and wireless-related security.
The next two chapters deal more with hardware, such as antennas, wireless link design, and the complex topic of facilities infrastructure, including power systems; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); tower specifications; and physical security. Chapter 6 concentrates on agreements, specifications, policies, and regulations, which is an area of utmost importance for anyone working in the wireless business. Each chapter ends with a list of references, mainly standards and specifications, enhanced by a list of suggested further reading.
The book concludes with chapter 7, “Fundamental Knowledge.” These 15 detailed pages form a very useful companion for anyone who needs a proper understanding of the various types of wireless professionals. The chapter offers a good perspective on the areas that require an indispensable knowledge, compared to areas where a basic understanding is sufficient. However, no specialist knowledge is actually required for wireless practitioners in general. Together with an 11-page Appendix B summarizing knowledge areas, readers will be able to check their current knowledge and identify areas where more learning is needed.
Appendix C provides an interesting insight into the process of creating both editions of the book [1], and emphasizes the distinction between the book and the actual Wireless Communication Engineering Technologies (WCET) certification. Appendix D simply lists conferences and publications of the IEEE Communications Society.
The major drawback of this book is the missing index and glossary, which are even more important for learning than other purposes. The acronym list (Appendix A) is good, but being placed as a first appendix makes it less practical to flip through. Despite this and some missing (maybe niche) pieces of wireless knowledge, this is truly a useful all-in-one guide to wireless engineering for any student, technician, designer, or administrator--really, any wireless practitioner--as well as anyone else interested in the wireless technologies and networks running today. Last but not least, it is worth noting that 60 international experts contributed to the volume.
