Mind the future of communication systems The success of future wireless communication systems will depend not only on the services they provide, but the seamless integration of all access technologies they can initiate. Cross platform interoperability will be vital for both business and personal telecommunications. Digital Economy © PhotoDisc The wide range of communication devices and platforms upon which they are based, along with the introduction of new emerging technologies, places an emphasis on the seamless interoperability of wireless communication servers. In this regard, a new European funded study, MIND, therefore evaluated the spectrum needs for such a requirement resulting in a new simulation methodology framework. The simulation is a spectrum calculation technique, allowing therefore proper radio access technologies to assess or provide analysis on spectrum needs by its inherent usage. Additionally, addressing the need for the standardisation of both existing and emerging technologies has long since been a vital element for radio based communication devices. The results of this study, therefore, provide a key element in providing such standards. These will be necessary for any key decision making entities such as regulatory bodies or World Radiocommunication Conferences. MIND also intended to address various issues currently under investigation in Europe. One of these is providing broadband services to most of air interfaces. The intention here is to be able to provide such services to wireless mobile users in a rapid but organised fashion, accessible through a wide range of technologies. MIND of course, extended its focus to assess new network topologies, such ad-hoc and self-organising networks, better quality of services support as well as optimising High Performance Local Area Network (HIPERLAN/2) for beyond 3G systems. If future generation wireless communication systems beyond 3G are going to be seamlessly integrated, the groundwork for prepping these systems has to begin now. This study goes a long way in establishing such cornerstones of a fast developing, global concern.
