An Introduction to Wireless Technology, Second Edition

If people are able to be contacted at anytime and anywhere, then the use of an

agent in the network is essential to avoid unnecessary or nuisance calls. When

a subscriber is roaming away from the home network, the cost of a call may

involve additional charges that the initiator did not expect. For this reason, it is

expected that the subscriber will be asked to pay for the additional cost to route

the call to another network. If this is the case, then the subscriber must have a

method of filtering unwanted calls. This will apply to data calls as well as voice

calls.

When people are traveling, it may not be necessary for them to receive the same

quantity of information as they would when they were at their home location.

They may need to be alerted to a particular piece of information. An example

would be when a share price on the stock exchange reached a certain threshold

or even the score in a football match. An intelligent network could deliver this

kind of information from an information provider according to the profile set up in

the subscriber′s agent.

Many elements of the intelligent network are in place already. Wireless

connectivity will ensure that the full potential is realized.

7.6 Summary

The most significant advance in technology today is the switch to digital

communications techniques. This will open the door to a vast number of new

services and applications. The distinction between different kinds of traffic on

communications links will disappear, because all traffic will be data. The

requirements in terms of bandwidth, network delay, and connectivity will still

exist according to the source and destination of the traffic, but the

communications channels themselves will only need to handle data. Wireless

communications will benefit greatly from the use of digital techniques, as this

will be far more efficient in using the available electromagnetic spectrum. This

will result in improved and new services together with a dramatic lowering of

costs.

A wireless revolution is underway, which will provide new opportunities for

applications and services.

138 An Introduction to Wireless Technology